Patients with type 1 diabetes and albuminuria have reduced cerebral grey matter unrelated to cerebrovascular dysfunction.

Patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1D) demonstrate brain alterations including gray matter (GM) atrophy. We examined whether a GM reduction could be related to cerebrovascular dysfunction. GM volume was measured by anatomical MRI. Cerebrovascular function was examined by measuring cerebral blood flow, oxygen metabolism and lactate concentration in response to inhalation of hypoxic air using phase-contrast MRI and MRS. T1D patients were evaluated for albuminuria as indication of vessel damages. Patients with T1D and albuminuria had reduced GM compared to patients with normal kidney function or healthy controls, however, the GM atrophy could not be related to cerebrovascular dysfunction.