title: Telomere length and cognitive function in community-dwelling elders: findings from the Health ABC Study.
abstract: Telomere shortening is a marker of cellular aging and has been associated with risk of Alzheimer's disease. Few studies have determined if telomere length is associated with cognitive decline in non-demented elders. We prospectively studied 2734 non-demented elders (mean age: 74 years). We measured cognition with the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3MS) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) repeatedly over 7 years. Baseline telomere length was measured in blood leukocytes and classified by tertile as "short", "medium", or "long". At baseline, longer telomere length was associated with better DSST score (36.4, 34.9 and 34.4 points for long, medium and short, p<0.01) but not for change in score. However, 7-year 3MS change scores were less among those with longer telomere length (-1.7 points vs. -2.5 and -2.9, p=0.01). Findings were similar after multivariable adjustment for age, gender, race, education, assay batch, and baseline score. There was a borderline statistically significant interaction for telomere length and APOE e4 on 3MS change score (p=0.06). Thus, telomere length may serve as a biomarker for cognitive aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. kristine.yaffe@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yaffe
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lindquist
authors.forename: Molly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kluse
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cawthon
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Wen-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.forename: Eleanor M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Simonsick
authors.forename: Lewis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kuller
authors.forename: Rongling
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hilsa N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Ayonayon
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Cummings
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016615:Telomere; D059506:Telomere Shortening