Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a diagnostic term for a collection of disorders which, among other features, have in common chronic elevation of blood glucose (BG) concentration commonly referred to as hyperglycemia. Diabetes is a result of the body's inability to effectively control usage and storage of the body's main source of fuel (glucose).It is the leading cause of foot amputations, kidney failure, and blindness and is a major contributor to cardiovascular complications, such as heart attacks. Diabetes Mellitus is a complex metabolic disease that can have devastating effects on multiple organs in the body. Diabetes is the leading cause of end stage renal disease and is also a common cause of vision loss, neuropathy, and cardiovascular disease. A less addressed and not as well recognized complication of diabetes is cognitive dysfunction. Patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus have been found to have cognitive deficits that can be attributed to their disease. Both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia have been implicated as causes of cognitive dysfunction, and many patients fear that recurrent hypoglycemia will impair their memory over time. Although much research has been done, the pathophysiology underlying this complication is not well understood, and the most appropriate methods to diagnose, treat, and prevent cognitive dysfunction in diabetes have not yet been defined. In addition, it should be noted that the field of cognitive dysfunction in diabetes is still in its early stages. There is a strong evidence supporting significant association between diabetes and cognitive dysfunctions, established through many hypotheses. The causative mechanism involved in such associations is only implied and still need to be investigated. This presentation highlights the need for cognitive assessment in the diabetic stages and also the requirement of rehabilitative process to maintain and enhance cognitive quality of life in diabetic care. Keywords: Cognitive Assessment, Cognitive deficits and Diabetes Mellitus.