title: Plasma homocysteine, brain imaging and cognition in older patients with mental illness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) concentration is elevated in older patients with mental illness, and patients with vascular disease have higher plasma tHcy concentration than patients without vascular disease. Plasma tHcy has been reported to be associated with cognitive functions. The mechanism by which plasma tHcy may influence cognitive functions is not clear.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have investigated the relation between plasma tHcy, brain imaging findings (computer tomography scan [CT]) and cognition, measured as Mini mental state examination (MMSE), in 395 consecutively enrolled older patients with mental illness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age and plasma tHcy were significant predictors of MMSE score, whereas pathological CT findings, indicating cerebrovascular disease, showed no prediction of MMSE score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relation between plasma tHcy and cognition is not mediated by cerebrovascular disease as evaluated by pathological CT findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychogeriatrics, Clinical Science, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gustafson
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hultberg
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine