Diabetes linked to altered gene co-localization in gray matter
In an observational study of 1,802 adults, diabetes was linked to altered gene co-localization with gray matter, while metformin use was linked to greater stability.
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
In an observational study, researchers analysed brain scans from 1,802 adults with an average age of 66, including 271 people with type 2 diabetes. The team used imaging transcriptomics to examine the overlap between gray matter volume and the spatial patterns of two genes: PPARG, which regulates metabolism, and PRKAG2, which helps cells sense energy.
In people with type 2 diabetes, gene co-localization with gray matter was higher in earlier stages but weakened in later stages compared with non-diabetic controls. Co-localization was associated with cognitive function in controls, but not in people with type 2 diabetes. Among people with diabetes, use of the blood-sugar medication metformin was associated with greater gene co-localization stability over time.
Why it matters
The authors suggest that metabolic remodelling and cellular energy sensing may act as protective mechanisms in the brain during normal aging and metabolic disease. A breakdown of these processes in type 2 diabetes may help explain why the condition is tied to a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
Caveats
Because the study was observational, it cannot prove that shifts in gene co-localization cause changes in brain structure or memory. In addition, imaging transcriptomics relies on mapping gene expression data onto brain scans rather than measuring gene activity directly in each participant's brain tissue.
The paper
University of Texas at Austin · University of California
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease · 8 Oct 2026
