Type 3 Diabetes: Linking Insulin Resistance to Cognitive Decline

Type 3 diabetes (T3D) is characterized by chronic insulin resistance and insulin deficiency in the brain, leading to neuronal death, inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and synaptic dysfunction. These pathological processes contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, despite increasing evidence that links insulin resistance to cognitive impairment, the precise mechanisms that underly T3D remain largely unknown. This highlights a critical gap in research and potential therapeutic strategies. Given the significant impact of diet on metabolic health, investigating the correlation between the gut–brain axis may offer novel insights into the prevention and management of T3D. This review aims to elucidate the potential connections between insulin resistance and cognitive decline while also proposing interventions to slow aging and reduce the risk of early cognitive decline. At the same time, we acknowledge that the classification of type 3 diabetes is debatable and there is uncertainty as to whether insulin resistance is a primary driver or secondary manifestation of neurodegeneration.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  Diseases

• Publication date

  2025-11-01

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3390/diseases13110359PMID 41294899PMCID 12651046
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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