title: Plasma levels of antioxidants are not associated with Alzheimer's disease or cognitive decline.
abstract: Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress that possibly causes neuronal loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We examined whether high plasma levels of the antioxidant vitamins A and E were associated with lower prevalence of AD or cognitive decline (CD). We performed a cross-sectional study within the Rotterdam Study. In an univariate model, higher levels of vitamins A and E were significantly associated with lower prevalence of AD. However, when additional adjustments were made for important confounders, such as age, gender and total cholesterol, the relation substantially weakened -- odds ratios per standard deviation increase were 0.87 (95% CI 0.64-1.19) for vitamin A and 0.94 (95% CI 0.60-1.48) for vitamin E. Antioxidants were not related to CD in non-demented subjects. Our findings suggest no association between plasma levels of vitamin A and E and AD or CD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marianne J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Engelhart
authors.forename: Annemieke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruitenberg
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kiliaan
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: van Swieten
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: Jacqueline C M
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Witteman
authors.forename: Monique M B
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Breteler
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009426:Netherlands; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E