title: Low Leptin Availability as a Risk Factor for Dementia in Chilean Older People.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to study the role of leptin in the development of dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follow-up of the ALEXANDROS cohorts, with baseline measurements in 2000. From 1,136 available subjects free of dementia at baseline, 667 subjects had frozen baseline blood samples for measuring leptin and soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R). The free leptin index (FLI) was calculated as the ratio of leptin to sOB-R. Dementia was defined as an MMSE score <22 and a score >5 in the Pfeffer Activities Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 15 years of follow-up, 42 incident cases of dementia were identified. No difference in serum leptin was observed between people with and without dementia, but sOB-R was higher in demented than in nondemented subjects (sOB-R: 44.94 ± 23.97 vs. 33.73 ± 21.13 ng/ml). The adjusted risk for dementia increased, the higher the log sOB (hazard ratio = 3.58; 95% CI 1.72-7.45, p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower availability of free leptin was found in demented than in nondemented people, suggesting a role of leptin in cognition.
authors: INTA, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Albala
authors: INTA, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Angel
authors: INTA, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors: Lydia
authors: L
authors: Lera
authors: INTA, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors: Hugo
authors: H
authors: Sanchez
authors: INTA, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Marquez
authors: Department of Neurology, Clinic Hospital, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors: Patricio
authors: P
authors: Fuentes
keywords: Dementia; Free leptin; Obesity; Soluble leptin receptor