Type 1 diabetes may affect brain development in early childhood

Children with early-onset type 1 diabetes and poor glycaemic control have slower growth of areas in the brain associated with mild cognitive deficits compared to children without diabetes, according to the study presented at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting. The study, entitled Type 1 Diabetes and the Developing Brain€”A Longitudinal Study of Brain Growth by the Diabetes Research in Children Network, found that children with early-onset type 1 diabetes have mild but significant differences in total brain and regional gray and white matter growth compared to children without diabetes. Over time, type 1 diabetes can cause complications in multiple organ systems,