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The Effect Of Hyperglycemia On The Brain

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It has been long recognized that children with diabetes mellitus onset before age 5 yr have permanent neurocognitive dysfunction more commonly than aged-matched or sibling peers . A recent study showed that children with diabetes onset before age 7 yr had reduced intellectual performance and mild central brain atrophy in adulthood when compared with individuals with similar duration of diabetes but later onset . Because both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia occur in young children with type 1 diabetes, it is unlikely that hypoglycemia is the primary cause of this recognized but little publicized reduction in cognitive function associated with childhood type 1 diabetes in children. Hyperglycemia is known to adversely affect peripheral nerve structure and function in younger (3–6 months) but not in older rats. Physical and functional damage to peripheral nerves associated with diabetes is related to increased activity of the polyol pathway . The polyol pathway is a minor pathway of glucose metabolism that increases the intracellular content of the polyol sorbitol in response to increased extracellular glucose concentrations. …show more content…

This form of protection of the brain from hyperglycemia would reduce the influence of hyperglycemia on the brain as well as limit the influence of the preceding extrapolations of the polyol pathway observations from the peripheral nerve to the central nervous system (CNS). Additional study is therefore necessary to determine the long-term effects of hyperglycemia on brain

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