Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common diseases in the world having unfavorable effects on the patients. It is associated with a number of neurological conditions including peripheral nerve disorders, stroke and dementia. Peripheral nerve disorders are the most common complications of diabetes mellitus. Poor diabetic control increases the risk of neuropathy which can be prevented by education of patients. The association between DM and dementia appears to be stronger for vascular cognitive impairment than for Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting cerebrovascular disease may be an important factor in cognitive impairment in DM. Although the exact mechanisms by which DM affects the brain remain unclear, changes to brain vasculature, disturbances of cerebral insulin signaling, insulin resistance, glucose toxicity, oxidative stress, accumulation of advanced glycation end products, hypoglycemic episodes, and alterations in amyloid metabolism may all be involved.
The objective of this paper is to describe the neurological complications of diabetes mellitus and emphasize the importance of patient education in good diabetic control and early diagnosis in preventing these complications.
Keywords: diabetes, diabetic polyneuropathy, dementia