title: Is there an association between metabolic syndrome and cognitive function in very old adults? The Newcastle 85+ Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine, using data from the Newcastle 85+ Study, whether there is an association between modern diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cognitive function in very old adults (≥85) and whether inflammation, physical activity, or diabetes mellitus status affects this association.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal, population-based cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Newcastle and North Tyneside, United Kingdom.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-dwelling and institutionalized men and women recruited through general practices (N = 845).
  
  
  METHODS
  MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria. Cross-sectional and prospective (up to 5 years of follow-up) associations between MetS and global cognitive function (assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)) and between MetS and attention and episodic memory (assessed using the Cognitive Drug Research battery) were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MetS was not associated with cognitive function at baseline or cognitive change over time. Lack of association was not because MetS was predictive of subsequent mortality. Of the individual components of the MetS criteria, high blood pressure was associated with better cognitive function at baseline (MMSE: β (standard error (SE)) = -0.716 (0.152), P < .001), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was associated with poorer global cognitive function at baseline (MMSE: 0.436 (0.131), P = .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association between MetS and cognitive decline, which has been described in younger populations (<75), was not apparent in this population of individuals aged 85 and older at baseline.
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors: Stephanie L
authors: SL
authors: Harrison
authors: Blossom C M
authors: BC
authors: Stephan
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Siervo
authors: Antoneta
authors: A
authors: Granic
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Davies
authors: Keith A
authors: KA
authors: Wesnes
authors: Thomas B L
authors: TB
authors: Kirkwood
authors: Louise
authors: L
authors: Robinson
authors: Carol
authors: C
authors: Jagger
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL
keywords: aging; cognition; cohort study; metabolic syndrome; very old