Metabolic and Microvascular Risk Factors Associated With Brain Health in Type 1 Diabetes

We examined relationships between metabolic factors, microvascular complications, and brain health in adults with type 1 diabetes. Fifty-one adults were assessed for metabolic risk factors, microvascular complications, and cognitive function, with a subset completing brain MRI. Compared to normative data, participants showed reduced fluid cognition (p = 0.01) but elevated crystallized cognition (p = 0.0001). Microvascular complications and metabolic risk factors (including obesity, diabetes duration, and HbA1c) were not consistently linked to brain health outcomes. These exploratory findings suggest subtle cognitive changes in adults with type 1 diabetes, though larger longitudinal studies are needed to clarify how metabolic and microvascular factors influence brain health.