Polymorphisms in the gene encoding 11B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1) and lifetime cognitive change.
A rare polymorphism in the gene encoding 11B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1: rs846911-C/A) has been associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. We tested the hypothesis that this and 2 other HSD11B1 polymorphisms (rs12086634-G/T and rs846910-A/G) were associated with lifetime cognitive change in humans. Subjects were 194 participants of the Scottish Mental Survey of 1932 who took the same well-validated mental test at age 11 and age 79. The subjects represented the highest and lowest quintiles with respect to cognitive decline between ages 11 and 79. Despite having non-significantly different IQs at age 11, by age 79 the groups had mean (S.D.) IQs of 80.3 (14.1) and 109.6 (9.1), respectively (p<.001). The polymorphism rs846911-C/A was absent from both groups. There were no significant differences in the frequency of polymorphisms of rs12086634-G/T (p=.91) and rs846910-A/G (p=.90) between the groups. We conclude that these variants in HSD11B1 are not significant contributors to the range of cognitive ageing examined here.
Deary
Ian J
IJ
Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, UK. I.Deary@ed.ac.uk
Hayward
Caroline
C
Permana
Paska A
PA
Nair
Saraswathy
S
Whalley
Lawrence J
LJ
Starr
John M
JM
Chapman
Karen E
KE
Walker
Brian R
BR
Seckl
Jonathan R
JR
D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 / Q000235:genetics; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013997:Time Factors
D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1; C468386:HSD11B1 protein, human