Abstract
(1) Background: one out of every four adults over the age of 65 are living with diabetes, and this alarming rate continues to increase with age. Diabetes in older adults is associated with many adverse health outcomes, including sensory and motor impairments. The objective of this exploratory study was to determine whether diabetes influences the interplay between multisensory integration processes and mobility in aging. (2) Methods: in this cross-sectional observational study, we recruited 339 non-demented older adults (76.59 ± 6.21 years; 52% female, 18% with diabetes). Participants completed a simple reaction time test in response to visual, somatosensory, and combined visual-somatosensory stimulation. Magnitude of visual-somatosensory integration was computed and served as the independent variable. (3) Results: logistic regression revealed that presence of diabetes was inversely associated with the magnitude of visual-somatosensory integration (β = −3.21; p < 0.01). Further, mediation models revealed that presence of diabetes negatively influenced the relationship of visual–somatosensory integration magnitude with balance (95% CI −0.16, −0.01) and gait (95% CI −0.09, −0.01). Participants with diabetes and taking insulin (n = 14) failed to integrate sensory information entirely; (4) conclusions: taken together, results from this exploration provide compelling evidence to support the adverse effect of diabetes on both multisensory and motor functioning in older adults.
Highlights
More than 100 million adults are living with diabetes or pre-diabetes in the UnitedStates; an alarming rate that continues to increase with chronological age
There we posit that sensory, cognitive, and motor processes rely on overlapping neural circuitry involving prefrontal cortex (PFC) connections with other cortical, subcortical, cerebellar regions that are compromised in older adults with cognitive impairments
There is good reason to believe that diabetes would be associated with similar declines in magnitude of multisensory integration as seen in Alzheimer’s disease, since both disease processes are linked to changes in cerebrovascular function, oxidative stress, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and insulin signaling system impairments [8]
Summary
More than 100 million adults are living with diabetes or pre-diabetes in the UnitedStates; an alarming rate that continues to increase with chronological age. The American Diabetes Association highlights that diabetes in older adults is associated with many adverse health outcomes, including increased rates of mortality, functional disability, vascular co-morbidities (including heart disease and stroke), as well as greater risk for polypharmacy, cognitive impairment, pain, and injurious falls [2]. There is good reason to believe that diabetes would be associated with similar declines in magnitude of multisensory integration as seen in Alzheimer’s disease, since both disease processes are linked to changes in cerebrovascular function, oxidative stress, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and insulin signaling system impairments [8]. A Nature Reviews neurology study, conducted by Sims-Robinson et al, highlights the idea that neurodegeneration and cognitive impairments in type 2 diabetes could be related to interruptions in insulin receptor signaling, which can lead to increased accumulation of amyloid-β and tau depositions—significant biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
