title: Homocysteine and cognitive performance in the Framingham offspring study: age is important.
abstract: Plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations are associated with deficits in cognitive performance in persons free from dementia. The extent to which age modifies these associations is in need of further investigation in large, community-based, prospective studies combining the following elements: 1) multiple cognitive tests; 2) statistical adjustment for the role of the vitamin cofactors folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12; and 3) adjustment for the presence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Using data collected between 1991 and 2002, the authors investigated the associations between tHcy and multiple measures of cognitive performance in 2,096 dementia- and stroke-free participants of the Framingham Offspring Study, who were stratified into three age groups (40-49 years, 50-59 years, 60-82 years), after findings of statistically significant tHcy-by-age interactions for multiple cognitive measures. Regardless of statistical adjustment for age, sex, gender, the vitamin cofactors, and cardiovascular risk factors, statistically significant inverse associations between tHcy and multiple cognitive domains were observed for individuals aged 60 or more years; no such associations were observed for participants aged less than 60 years. Early preventive interventions may be important, because the inverse association between tHcy and cognitive performance is observed beyond middle age.
authors.affiliation: The Statistics and Consulting Unit, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. MFElias@aol.com
authors.forename: Merrill F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Ralph B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: Penelope K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Jacques
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Selhub
authors.forename: Sudha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seshadri
authors.forename: Rhoda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: Alexa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beiser
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000097:blood; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D011736:Pyridoxine; D014805:Vitamin B 12