Total cholesterol and oxysterols: early markers for cognitive decline in elderly?
In this prospective study we examined whether total cholesterol and the oxysterols 24S- and 27-hydroxycholesterol were related to cognitive performance and rate of cognitive decline in elderly, and whether these associations were modified by ApoE epsilon 4. Data were collected during 6 years of follow-up as part of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (N=1181, age >or=65 years), and analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Cognitive performance was measured with the mini-mental state examination (general cognition), the auditory verbal learning test (memory) and the coding task (information processing speed). Lower cholesterol at baseline was negatively associated with both general cognition (p=.012) and information processing speed (p=.045). ApoE modified the association between cholesterol and cognitive decline, and the association between the ratio of 27-hydroxycholesterol to cholesterol and cognitive functioning. In ApoE epsilon 4 carriers, lower cholesterol was related to a higher rate of decline on information processing speed (p=.006), and a higher ratio of 27-hydroxycholesterol to cholesterol was related to a lower level of general performance (p=.002) and memory functioning (p=.045). The results implicate that lower total cholesterol may be considered as a frailty marker, predictive of lower cognitive functioning in elderly.
van den Kommer
T N
TN
Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, EMGO Institute, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. tn.vandenkommer@vumc.nl
Dik
M G
MG
Comijs
H C
HC
Fassbender
K
K
Lütjohann
D
D
Jonker
C
C
D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D015984:Causality; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D006888:Hydroxycholesterols / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D015415:Biomarkers; D006888:Hydroxycholesterols; C076996:27-hydroxycholesterol; D002784:Cholesterol