Induced hypoglycemia by insulin as a triggering factor of cognitive deficit in children with diabetes mellitus

Abstract

This paper presents a review of clinical studies that deal with cognitive deficit and hypoglycemia induced by insulin in children. The “PubMed” database was used with the objective of detecting the most recent publications in the area that deal with the impact of hypoglycemia in the cognitive performance. As indicated in most clinical studies, the cognitive impediment that occurs in children receiving insulin-therapy is caused by hypoglycemia. The majority of studies also indicate that the cognitive deficit caused by hypoglycemia involve multiple factors, including the duration, intensity and frequency of hypoglycemia. Besides that, the age when the diabetes mellitus type 1 starts also influence the cognitive performance, since the early beginning of the disease is a predisposing factor for hypoglycemia. The results of this article offer support to the hypothesis that there is a strong correlation between the cerebral damage caused by hypoglycemia and the cognitive deterioration. Thus, a more careful follow-up and education are needed to prevent and treat hypoglycemia in children with diabetes mellitus.