Elevated plasma homocysteine levels in centenarians are not associated with cognitive impairment.
BACKGROUND
Previous reports have shown elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels in elderly person with impaired cognition.


OBJECTIVE
To study the association between cognitive status and plasma tHcy levels in centenarians.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
Centenarians living in two northern Italian provinces.


METHODS
Thirteen cognitively normal centenarians, ten cognitively impaired not-demented centenarians, and 34 demented centenarians with a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).


METHODS
Blood levels of homocysteine's biological determinants vitamin B12, folate, and vitamin B6.


RESULTS
Elevated plasma tHcy levels (>17 micromol/l) were common in the general population (77% of normal centenarians, 100% of cognitively impaired not-demented centenarians, 82% of AD centenarians). Demented centenarians had the lowest folate serum levels. Low or borderline vitamin B12 serum levels (<221 pmol/l) and low vitamin B6 plasma levels (<11.7 nmol/l) were found in 33 and 66% of all centenarians independently of cognitive status. Among demented centenarians only plasma tHcy correlated inversely with both serum vitamin B12 and folate. No significant difference was found for plasma tHcy levels among the three diagnostic groups, even after adjusting for B vitamin levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperhomocysteinemia is very common among centenarians, probably due to vitamin deficiencies, but does not seem to be associated with cognitive impairment.
Ravaglia
G
G
Department of Internal Medicine, Cardioangiology, and Hepatology, University Hospital S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. ravaglia@almadns.unibo.it
Forti
P
P
Maioli
F
F
Vettori
C
C
Grossi
G
G
Bargossi
A M
AM
Caldarera
M
M
Franceschi
C
C
Facchini
A
A
Mariani
E
E
Cavalli
G
G
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000097:blood; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006306:Health Surveys; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D011736:Pyridoxine; D014805:Vitamin B 12