Cerebral perfusion and cognitive decline in type 2 diabetes

This dataset was collected as part of a study to explore vasoregulation and
blood flow in patients with type 2 Diabetes mellitus. It comprises cerebral
blood, autonomic functions, laboratory and gait variables in 70 patients with
type 2 DM and 70 healthy controls (50-85 years old). Diabetes mellitus is a
prevalent, costly condition with high morbidity and mortality that affects
nearly 6.3% of the population in the United States. Diabetes mellitus alters
the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, thus affecting regional
metabolism and microcirculatory regulation. Predictors of cerebrovascular
complications of diabetes that are evidence-based on cerebral blood flow, MRI
imaging, and cognitive testing are lacking.

Blood flow velocities were measured in the anterior and middle cerebral
arteries using transcranial Doppler ultrasound. Cerebral vasoregulation was
evaluated by comparing blood flow velocity responses during hypocapnia and
hypercapnia, Valsalva maneuver, head-up tilt and sit-to-stand test using
simultaneous recordings of cardiovascular variables, blood flow velocity in
the anterior and middle cerebral artery using transcranial Doppler and
respiratory variables. We applied continuous arterial spin labeling at 3 Tesla
MRI to evaluate regional distribution of cerebral blood flow and vasomotor
reactivity to CO2. Cognitive and executive functions were assessed via a
battery of psychometric measures. Gait and balance were characterized from
dynamics of foot pressure distribution and center of pressure displacement.