Skip to main content

REVIEW article

Front. Endocrinol.

Sec. Diabetes: Molecular Mechanisms

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fendo.2025.1570585

Diabetes and Brain: Omics Approaches to study Diabetic Encephalopathy

Provisionally accepted
Antonio Gnoni Antonio Gnoni 1*Nicoletta Lionetti Nicoletta Lionetti 1*Maria Grazia Di Lago Maria Grazia Di Lago 1*Tania Brescia Tania Brescia 2Federica Bevilacqua Federica Bevilacqua 1
  • 1 University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
  • 2 Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex metabolic disorder associated with many complications, including diabetic encephalopathy (DE). DE is a severe neurological condition characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive and motor functions, significantly impacting patients' quality of life.Despite advancements in understanding DM, the intricate pathogenetic mechanisms underlying DE remain incompletely elucidated. This review comprehensively analyzes the application of omics technologies to decipher the molecular basis of DE and identify potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Several studies on animal models of DE have revealed specific metabolic signatures and changes in gene expression in key memory brain regions, like the hippocampus, highlighting potential therapeutic targets. We explore how these "omics" approaches have provided novel insights into the complex interplay of factors contributing to DE. Recurrent alterations were identified upon evaluation of analysis from human tissues and in vitro models of DE. Findings indicate that this pathological condition is characterized by impaired energy metabolism, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, neuroendocrine dysfunction and the influence of the gut microbiota. A multiomics approach, integrating data from various models and limited human studies, enhances translational understanding of DE pathogenesis, with new implications for diagnosis and treatment.

    Keywords: Diabetic encephalopathy 1, omics approaches 2, Oxidative stress 3, neuroinflammation 4, energy metabolism5

    Received: 03 Feb 2025; Accepted: 26 Mar 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Gnoni, Lionetti, Di Lago, Brescia and Bevilacqua. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Antonio Gnoni, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
    Nicoletta Lionetti, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
    Maria Grazia Di Lago, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

    Research integrity at Frontiers

    Man ultramarathon runner in the mountains he trains at sunset

    95% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or good

    Learn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish.


    Find out more