In summary, we can tentatively conclude that AE may improve cognitive impairment in T2DM mice by upregulating MALAT1 expression in serum-exosomes, competitively inhibiting miR-382-3p, and upregulating BDNF expression, thereby inhibiting hippocampal neuron apoptosis (Additional file 2: Fig. S2). The gene discussed is BDNF; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.