Abstract
Type 2 diabetes is associated with cognitive deficits, although inconsistently across neuropsychological domains. We examined 3-year longitudinal data from the Victoria Longitudinal Study, comparing diabetes (n = 28) and control (n = 272) older adults on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Assessing potential change and stability, we found that (a) baseline diabetes group deficits in semantic speed and speed-intensive executive function were preserved, (b) new average deficits for reaction time and nonspeeded executive function appeared, and (c) no differential short-term change was observed. It is clinically and theoretically important to examine sequential change in multiple domains over time.
Acknowledgments
The current research is supported by a grant (R37 AG008235) from the National Institutes of Health (National Institute on Aging) to Roger Dixon, who is also supported by the Canada Research Chairs program. Cindy de Frias, who is now at the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, was supported by a postdoctoral award from the Canadian Institute of Health Research. Ashley Fischer is now at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada. The authors express gratitude to Jill Jenkins and Terry Perkins for technical support and to the staff and participants of the Victoria Longitudinal Study.