Brain, cognition, mental health and functional outcomes in Type 1 diabetes – ~thirty year follow-up of the Royal Children’s Hospital Cohort

The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Diabetes Cohort Study is the only prospective study of individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) from the time of diagnosis in childhood into adulthood. Findings from this study have been widely cited as the landmark study for brain development, mental health, cognitive and functional outcomes in T1D. The last review of this cohort, over a decade ago, reported on their status at the advent of neuro-maturity. MCRI now intend to investigate outcomes in mid adult-life. T1D participants were initially recruited between 1990 and 1992; therefore, this study will be the 27-29 year follow-up. Using data collected at baseline, two, six, 10, and 12 years after diagnosis and from the proposed follow-up, MCRI will examine trajectories in cognitive function, mental and physical health from childhood to middle adulthood and model causal associations between variables. Longitudinal data of this duration and scope is not available anywhere else in the world, making this study a unique natural history of T1D from childhood onset into middle adulthood. MCRI will also compare the current cognitive functioning and brain imaging findings of the T1D participants with those of a control group specifically recruited for this purpose. Findings from the study may inform evidence-based interventions in the future designed to reduce morbidity and enhance resilience in individuals with T1D. Monash, Peninsula School will provide collaborative expertise in terms of brain imaging analysis and inferences.
Goals for the current project include:
1.To compare central nervous system (CNS), cognitive, mental health and functional outcomes in an adult TID cohort with childhood onset disease with those of a healthy community control group.
2.To document the natural history of childhood onset TID into adulthood. We will model trajectories from disease onset using data from previous waves of data collection to the current follow-up to establish risk and resilience factors that influence CNS, cognitive, mental health and functional outcomes.
Funding awarded to Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Amount awarded $373,696.30