title: Vitamin E levels, cognitive impairment and dementia in older persons: the InCHIANTI study.
abstract: There is conflicting evidence that antioxidants contribute to maintaining cognitive function in elderly subjects. We investigated whether vitamin E plasma levels are related to the presence of dementia and cognitive impairment in a population-based cohort study conducted in Italy. A total of 1033 participants aged at least 65 years received clinical and neuropsychological examinations, donated blood for vitamin E analysis and had their diets assessed. Participants with plasma vitamin E levels in the bottom tertile had a significantly higher probability of being demented (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.0-7.1) and also of suffering from cognitive impairment (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2-4.2) compared to those in the highest vitamin E tertile after adjustment for age, gender, education, lipid levels, energy intake, vitamin E intake, and smoking. This study supports the notion that higher vitamin E plasma levels might provide significant protection against cognitive impairment and dementia in elderly subjects.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, University of Perugia Medical School, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, via Brunamonti, Policlinico Monteluce, Padiglione E, Perugia 06122, Italy. acherub@unipg.it
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cherubini
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andres-Lacueva
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Iorio
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lamponi
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mecocci
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bartali
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corsi
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Senin
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrucci
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003704:Dementia / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E