# Determinants of Neurocognitive Complications in T1D

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2024 · $271,385

## Abstract

Project Summary
Children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) suffer from subtle cognitive impairments and structural alterations in the
brain. These impairments progress with age and may eventually lead to increased difficulty managing the
disease, resulting in worsening glycemic control, potentially life-threatening complications, and reductions in
quality of life. Causes of cognitive decline in T1D are not well understood. Episodes of hypoglycemia, chronic
hyperglycemia, glycemic variability and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) have all been suggested to play roles. Our
team at the University of Colorado proposes to join a multicenter NIH consortium to investigate the impact of
T1D on neurocognitive and psychosocial functioning in pre-pubertal children. We propose collaborative
development of the study protocol, enrollment of a representative study population, and prospective follow-up to
collect exposure and outcomes data for hypothesis testing. This study will further elucidate the role of DKA,
chronic hyperglycemia, severe hypoglycemia and established or emerging treatment modalities on
neurocognitive and psychosocial functioning of pre-pubertal children followed for up to three years after T1D
diagnosis.
We propose to test the following hypotheses:
H1: DKA at diagnosis of T1D has a detrimental long-term effect on neurocognitive and psychosocial functioning
(including full scale IQ), independent of sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
H2: Chronic hyperglycemia exposure, assessed by repeatedly measured HbA1c or CGM time above range
(TAR >250), has a detrimental long-term effect on neurocognitive and psychosocial functioning, independently
of sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status of the child.
H3: Recurrent severe hypoglycemia or excessive time below range (TBR <70 mg/dl) has a detrimental long-term
effect on neurocognitive and psychosocial functioning, independently of sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic
status, and glycemic control assessed by HbA1c or time in range (TIR 70-180).
H4: Routine vs occasional use of CGM has a protective long-term effect on neurocognitive and psychosocial
functioning, independently of sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status of the child and average HbA1c.
The proposed studies will help to further understand the impact of DKA, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and
current diabetes management modalities on the developing brain, including neurocognitive and psychosocial
functioning.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10974115
- **Project number:** 1U01DK140735-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** MARIAN J REWERS
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $271,385
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-15 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10974115

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10974115, Determinants of Neurocognitive Complications in T1D (1U01DK140735-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10974115. Licensed CC0.

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