title: Reduced memory in fat mass and obesity-associated allele carriers among older adults with cardiovascular disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Much attention has been paid to the prevalence and predisposition of the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene to obesity, although only a few studies have characterized the extent to which this affects cognitive function. This study examined differences between risk allele carriers (i.e. FTO-AC/AA) and non-carriers (i.e. FTO-CC) on indices of attention/executive function/psychomotor speed, memory, language, and visual-spatial ability in a sample of older patients with cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 120 older adults from an outpatient cardiology clinic who underwent blood draw and completed neuropsychological testing. Participants were classified into two groups: one for those who were homozygous for the non-risk-conferring allele (i.e. FTO-CC) (n= 49) and the other for those who had at least one copy of the obesity risk-conferring A allele (i.e. FTO-AC/AA) (n= 71).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mancova analyses adjusting for age and years of education revealed the FTO-AC/AA group performed significantly worse on indices of memory (λ= 0.94, F(2, 115) = 3.58, P= 0.03, partial η(2) = 0.06). Follow-up tests revealed a significant effect for the FTO-AC/AA group, relative to the non-carrier group, on encoding (i.e. California Verbal Learning Test Total Learning) and California Verbal Learning Test long-delay free recall (P < 0.05). No such differences between FTO carriers and non-carriers emerged on tests of attention/executive function/psychomotor speed, language, or visual-spatial ability (P > 0.05 for all).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the FTO risk allele is associated with reduced memory performance, particularly on aspects of memory encoding and delayed recall. To elucidate underlying mechanisms, these findings will need to be replicated in larger samples that utilize neuroimaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44240, USA. malosco@kent.edu
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Alosco
authors.forename: Andreana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benitez
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gunstad
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Spitznagel
authors.forename: Jeanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McCaffery
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: McGeary
authors.forename: Athena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poppas
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Lawrence H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sweet
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000235:genetics*; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; C526492:FTO protein, human
references.citation: Obes Rev. 2011 Feb;12(2):131-41
references.pmid: 20122135
references.citation: Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2003 Jul;61(1):59-67
references.pmid: 12849924
references.citation: Neurology. 1989 Sep;39(9):1159-65
references.pmid: 2771064
references.citation: Arteriosclerosis. 1989 Mar-Apr;9(2):237-41
references.pmid: 2923580
references.citation: Science. 2007 May 11;316(5826):889-94
references.pmid: 17434869
references.citation: Neuroepidemiology. 2010;34(4):230-1
references.pmid: 20299803
references.citation: J Alzheimers Dis. 2011;23(3):461-9
references.pmid: 21098976
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Jun 1;107(22):10256-61
references.pmid: 20479234
references.citation: Stroke. 2001 Dec 1;32(12):2882-9
references.pmid: 11739991
references.citation: J Alzheimers Dis. 2011;26(1):127-34
references.pmid: 21593560
references.citation: Neuroepidemiology. 2010;34(4):222-9
references.pmid: 20299802
references.citation: Am J Prev Med. 2004 Dec;27(5):385-90
references.pmid: 15556738
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2011 Oct 5;31(40):14218-22
references.pmid: 21976506
references.citation: Neurobiol Aging. 2011 Jun;32(6):1159.e1-5
references.pmid: 21458110
references.citation: Nat Genet. 2009 Jan;41(1):25-34
references.pmid: 19079261
references.citation: Neurology. 2006 Apr 11;66(7):1029-33
references.pmid: 16606914
references.citation: J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 1999 May;5(4):346-56
references.pmid: 10349297
references.citation: Lancet. 1992 Oct 10;340(8824):879-80
references.pmid: 1357300
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 May 4;107(18):8404-9
references.pmid: 20404173
references.citation: PLoS One. 2010 May 20;5(5):e10521
references.pmid: 20502638
references.citation: Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2011 Sep;21(9):691-8
references.pmid: 20400278
references.citation: Obesity (Silver Spring). 2010 Aug;18(8):1619-24
references.pmid: 20057365
references.citation: Diabetes Technol Ther. 2011 Jan;13(1):33-42
references.pmid: 21175269
references.citation: Obes Rev. 2011 Oct;12(10):800-12
references.pmid: 21676151
references.citation: Am Heart J. 2010 Dec;160(6):1163-9
references.pmid: 21146673
references.citation: Cerebrovasc Dis. 2010;30(4):362-73
references.pmid: 20693791
references.citation: Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2007;24(6):418-23
references.pmid: 17938570
references.citation: Arteriosclerosis. 1988 Jan-Feb;8(1):1-21
references.pmid: 3277611
references.citation: BMC Med. 2011 Jun 08;9:71
references.pmid: 21651756
references.citation: Neurology. 2004 Nov 23;63(10):1876-81
references.pmid: 15557505