Correlation between cognitive functions and syndromes of traditional Chinese medicine in amnestic mild cognitive impairment.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the correlation between the cognitive functions and syndromes of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and to provide evidence for clinical syndrome differentiation treatment.


METHODS
Six hundred subjects from Dongzhimen Hospital and seven communities in Beijing, aged between 40 and 85 years, accepted neuropsychological assessments, imaging and biochemical examinations, and syndrome differentiation, from whom 159 aMCI patients, 213 normal control (NC) subjects and 171 Alzheimer's dementia (AD) patients were screened out. Correlation between the cognitive functions and TCM syndromes in aMCI patients was analyzed.


RESULTS
Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score in aMCI patients was closely correlated with kidney essence vacuity and deficiency of blood and qi (r = -0.11, r = -0.11; P = 0.003, P = 0.015). Delayed Word Recall (DWR) score was correlated with kidney essence vacuity (r = -0.20, P = 0.020). Instant Story Recall (ISR) and Delayed Story Recall (DSR) scores were respectively correlated with turbid phlegm blocking upper orifices (r = -0.11, r = -0.27; P = 0.021, P = 0.000). Language function was correlated with kidney essence vacuity and deficiency of blood and qi (r = -0.11, r = -0.13; P = 0.042, P = 0.007). Attention/calculation was also closely correlated with kidney essence vacuity and deficiency of blood and qi (r = -0.10, r = -0.21; P = 0.039, P = 0.010). Attention score of aMCI patients was correlated with excess of heat toxin syndrome (r = -0.29, P = 0.026).


CONCLUSIONS
The memory decline of aMCI is correlated with kidney essence vacuity and turbid phlegm blocking upper orifices. Furthermore, turbid phlegm blocking upper orifices is correlated with episodic memory decline, which is closely related to AD. The aMCI patients with phlegm have the risk to progress into AD. Although other cognitive functions of aMCI remain relatively intact, the patients' language function, attention/calculation and the whole cognitive function may be worsen as the aggravation of kidney essence vacuity, deficiency of blood and qi, phlegm and heat toxin, and may eventually lead to multiple cognitive domains impairment, even dementia.
Miao
Ying-chun
YC
Department of Geriatric Disease, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medcine, Beijing 100700, China.
Tian
Jin-zhou
JZ
Shi
Jing
J
Mao
Min
M
Zhao
Xiao-dong
XD
Fang
Li-yan
LY
Zeng
Chui-you
CY
Liu
Jian-ping
JP
Wang
Zhi-liang
ZL
Li
Xiao-bin
XB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000647:Amnesia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales