Objective To explore the factors influencing the mild cognitive impairment(MCI)in elderly Uyghur patients with diabetes mellitus and their possible interactions.Methods The crosssectional study was undertaken on 510 elderly Uyghur patients with diabetes mellitus.Based on using a variety of neuropsycholological rating scales for evaluating MCI,the patients were divided into the mild cognitive impairment group (n =182,MCI)and the normal cognitive group (n =328,NMCI),and 200 healthy subjects matched by nation,age and gender served as non-diabetes control group.The collecting of relevant medical history,biochemical examination,evaluation of cognitive function and diabetic complication were performed.Risk factors for cognitive function impairment were determined by single factor analysis and multivariate Logistic analysis.The interactions between factors were analyzed by additive effects model.Results Multiple regression analysis showed that the risk factors for cognitive function decline were ageing,long diabetes duration,higher glycated hemoglobin,lacunainfarction,leukoaraiosis,diabetic microangiopathy (P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01).Diabetic microangiopathy had an interaction with cerebral small vessel disease(lacunarinfarction,leukoaraiosis),their percentages of effects of responsibility attribution were 69.9％ and 33.8％,and relative risk ratios of renewable energy research laboratory(RERI)were 10.67 and 7.52 respectively.Conclusions Age,diabetic duration,glycosylated hemoglobin,diabetic microangiopathy and cerebral small vessel disease may be the main risk factors for cognitive dysfunction.Diabetic microangiopathy has a positive interaction with lacunarinfarction and leukoaraiosis in elderly Uyghur type 2 diabetes mellitus with mild cognitive impairment.