Diabetes and cognitive decline: Are steroids the missing link?

Although elevated cortisol levels may be found in diabetes, cortisol's role in diabetes-associated cognitive impairment is unclear. A recent study (Stranahan et al., 2008) shows that reducing glucocorticoid levels in rodent diabetes models prevents cognitive deficits and enhances neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. The clinical relevance of these intriguing findings remains undetermined.