title: Homocysteine, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cognitive performance: The Maine-Syracuse Study.
abstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus and higher total plasma homocysteine concentrations are each associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and with diminished cognitive performance. Relations between homocysteine concentrations and cardiovascular disease incidence are stronger in the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, we hypothesized that relations between homocysteine concentrations and cognitive performance would be stronger in the presence of type 2 diabetes. We related homocysteine concentrations and cognitive performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination in 817 dementia- and stroke-free participants of the Maine-Syracuse Study, 90 of whom were classified with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Regardless of statistical adjustment for age, sex, gender, vitamin co-factors (folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12), cardiovascular disease risk factors, and duration and type of treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus, statistically significant inverse associations between homocysteine concentrations and cognitive performance were observed for diabetic individuals. The weaker inverse associations between homocysteine concentrations and cognitive performance obtained for non-diabetic individuals were not robust to statistical adjustment for some covariates. Interactions between homocysteine concentrations and type 2 diabetes mellitus are observed such that associations between homocysteine and cognitive performance are stronger in the presence of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5742, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.forename: Merrill F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: Marc M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Budge
authors.forename: Suzanne L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: Penelope K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Elias
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008281:Maine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine