title: The Erythrocyte Fatty Acid Profile and Cognitive Function in Old Chinese Adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between the erythrocyte fatty acid profile and cognition in elderly Chinese adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  60 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects and 60 age- and gender-matched control adults (aged 55 years and above) were involved in this cross-sectional study. Cognitive function was measured by using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. Information regarding the demographic characteristics and lifestyle of the participants was collected with a questionnaire. A semi-quantified food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) method was used for dietary assessment. The erythrocytes fatty acid profile was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MCI subjects had a lower education level than the control subjects (p < 0.05). Compared with control subjects, MCI subjects had higher daily poultry intake and lower fish intake (p < 0.05). Erythrocyte fatty acid profile of the MCI subjects was characterized as lower erythrocyte proportions of 20:4 n-6, 20:5 n-3, and total n-3 fatty acids compared with control subjects (p < 0.05). An association of erythrocyte proportions of 18:0, 22:0, total SFA, 18:2 n-6, 24:4 n-6 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and total n-6 PUFAs with cognition in elderly Chinese adults was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The erythrocyte fatty acid profile was related to cognitionin the elderly. Lower erythrocyte unsaturated fatty acid and higher saturated fatty acid proportions might predict cognitive function decline in elderly Chinese adults.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China. ylhmedu@126.com.
authors.forename: Linhong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China. xiaorong22@ccmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China. weiweizibeike@163.com.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China. ccfdzz1023@163.com.
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China. xiaochenhuang@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiaochen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China. Xiaor22@ccmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood; D002149:Energy Intake; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005227:Fatty Acids; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D014280:Triglycerides; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid
keywords: cognition; erythrocyte fatty acids; lipids; the elderly