TCF7L2 polymorphism and cognitive test performance in cardiovascular disease.
OBJECTIVE
The present study examines cognitive function among transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) genotype groups in a sample of older adults with cardiovascular disease.


METHODS
We recruited 111 older adults with diagnosed cardiovascular disease from outpatient cardiology clinics. Neuropsychological tests assessed the following domains of cognitive functioning: global function, attention/executive/psychomotor speed, learning and memory, visuospatial/construction, motor, and language. Genotyping of TCF7L2 single nucleotide polymorphism rs7903146 was conducted to determine membership in the TT, CT, or CC genotype groups.


RESULTS
Controlling for diabetes status, participants with the TT genotype of TCF7L2 (n= 12) performed worse on tests of attention/executive function/processing speed than those with the CC (n= 46) and CT (n= 53) genotypes, despite no between-group differences in demographic or medical variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Older cardiovascular disease patients with the TCF7L2 TT genotype performed worse on tests of attention/executive/ psychomotor speed than CC and CT genotype carriers. Further work using neuroimaging and glucose tolerance indices is needed to clarify underlying mechanisms.
Department of Psychology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
Therese Anne
TA
Keary
John
J
Gunstad
Andreana
A
Benitez
Mary Beth
MB
Spitznagel
Jeanne
J
McCaffery
John E
JE
McGeary
Athena
A
Poppas
Robert H
RH
Paul
Lawrence H
LH
Sweet
Ronald A
RA
Cohen
D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D015897:Comorbidity; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D058118:Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein / Q000235:genetics*
C544894:TCF7L2 protein, human; D058118:Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein