The Intersection of Type 2 Diabetes and Cognitive Impairment in Mexican Americans: Insights from the Mitochondria

Mitochondrial dysfunction is common in numerous complex age-related diseases. The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in cognitive impairment has yet to be studied in Mexican American populations. This population serves as a group of interest due to their high prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is known to be associated with cognitive impairment (CI), suggesting that Mexican American populations may be at greater risk for CI. In this study, mtDNA copy number (mtDNACN), cell-free mtDNA (CFmtDNA) levels and mitochondrial gene expression was assessed. MtDNACN was found to be decreased in CI, while CFmtDNA was found to be elevated in T2D. Cross-condition comparisons of mitochondrial expression elucidated characteristic expression profiles perhaps associated with the co-occurrence of T2D and CI pathology.