Genetic Syndromes Associated with Diabetes Mellitus

Genetic syndromes associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) have proven difficult to identify, given the clinical overlap, the genetic heterogeneity, and the exceptionally low prevalence these conditions demonstrate. Early neurologic deficits in the presence of diabetes mellitus especially in the neonatal-early childhood period should alert the clinicians to investigate for these conditions. The most common clinical manifestations of syndromic diabetes include sensorineural hearing loss, ataxia, seizures, vision loss, and other developmental abnormalities. The genetic etiologies of these syndromes contribute toward our understanding of the pathophysiology of more common forms of DM; moreover, they may lead to the development of more personalized medical treatments.