Alzheimer's like brain changes correlate with low adiponectin plasma levels in type 2 diabetic patients

Aim: To study the association between adiponectin plasma levels, and gray matter brain volume and cerebral glucose metabolism in a group of type 2 diabetes patients. Methods: We studied 25 type 2 diabetes patients and 25 age- and gender-matched healthy control participants. Biochemical analysis and structural cerebral magnetic resonance imaging, including voxel-based morphometry and (18)-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, were performed. The gray matter volumes and metabolism changes were analyzed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM8). Results: Lower levels of adiponectin correlated with a lower gray matter volume in temporal regions and with reduced cerebral glucose metabolism in temporal regions (p < 0.001), adjusted for age, gender, education, and the presence of at least one epsilon 4 allele for the apolipoprotein E (APOE epsilon 4 genotype). Conclusions: Positive correlations between adiponectin plasma levels and both gray matter volume and cerebral glucose metabolism were found, predominantly in temporal regions, as in Alzheimer's disease. Adiponectin might be a biomarker for the cognitive decline associated with type 2 diabetic patients. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.