Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-nr4z6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-31T00:23:30.048Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Cholesterol and cognitive performance among community volunteers from the Czech Republic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2015

Marianne Chanti-Ketterl ,
Ross Andel ,
Ondrej Lerch ,
Jan Laczo  and
Jakub Hort
Marianne Chanti-Ketterl*
Affiliation:
School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa FL 33612, USA
Ross Andel
Affiliation:
School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa FL 33612, USA
Ondrej Lerch
Affiliation:
Memory clinic, Department of Neurology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Motol University Hospital, Czech Republic
Jan Laczo
Affiliation:
Memory clinic, Department of Neurology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Motol University Hospital, Czech Republic
Jakub Hort
Affiliation:
International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Marianne Chanti-Ketterl, MD, MSPH, School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. MHC 1300, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. Phone: +(813) 974-2414; Fax: +(813) 974-9754. Email: mchantik@mail.usf.edu.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

Research shows that lipid levels may be associated with cognitive function, particularly among women. We aimed to examine total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and HDL/LDL ratio in relation to cognitive performance, measured with six well-established cognitive domains and a composite cognitive score (CCS).

Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, biomarkers and neuropsychological assessment were available for 141 adults with MMSE scores ≥ 24 (mean age = 69 years, 47% female, mean education = 14.4 years) attending a neuropsychological evaluation. Ordinary least squares regressions were adjusted for age, gender, education, and depressive symptoms in Model 1 and also for apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) status in Model 2.

Results:

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was associated with better CCS (β = 0.24; p = 0.014). This association was significant among women (β = 0.30; p = 0.026) and not among men (β = 0.20; p = 0.124). HDL-C was also related to attention/working memory (β = 0.24; p = 0.021), again only among women (β = 0.37; p = 0.012) and not men (β = 0.15; p = 0.271). Adjusting for APOE4 yielded significance for high HDL-C and CCS (β = 0.24; p = 0.022).

Conclusions:

HDL-C was the main lipoprotein affecting cognitive function, with results somewhat more pronounced among women. Research should investigate the possibility of finding ways to boost HDL-C levels to potentially promote cognitive function.

Keywords

cholesterollipoproteinscognitionolder adultsHDL-C
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 27 , Issue 12 , December 2015 , pp. 2087 - 2095
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andersen, C. J. and Fernandez, M. L. (2013). Dietary approaches to improving atheroprotective HDL functions. Food & Function, 4, 1304–1313.Google Scholar
Anstey, K., Lipnicki, D. and Low, L. (2008). Cholesterol as a risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline: a systematic review of prospective studies with meta-analysis. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 16, 343–354.Google Scholar
Arsenault, B. J. et al. (2009). Beyond low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: respective contributions of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and the total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio to coronary heart disease risk in apparently healthy men and women. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 55, 35–41.Google Scholar
Atzmon, G., Gabriely, I., Greiner, W., Davidson, D., Schechter, C. and Barzilai, N. (2002). Plasma HDL levels highly correlate with cognitive function in exceptional longevity. Journals of Gerontology Series a-Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 57, M712–M715.Google Scholar
Barnes, L., Arvanitakis, Z., Yu, L., Kelly, J., De Jager, P. and Bennett, D. (2013). Apolipoprotein E and change in episodic memory in blacks and whites. Neuroepidemiology, 40, 211–219.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
de Frias, C. et al. (2007). Cholesterol and triglycerides moderate the effect of apolipoprotein E on memory functioning in older adults. The Journal of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 62, P112–P118.Google Scholar
Elias, P. K., Elias, M. F., D’Agostino, R. B., Sullivan, L. M. and Wolf, P. A. (2005). Serum cholesterol and cognitive performance in the Framingham Heart Study. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67, 24–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fastenau, P. S., Denburg, N. L. and Hufford, B. J. (1999). Adult norms for the rey-osterrieth complex figure test and for supplemental recognition and matching trials from the extended complex figure test. Clinical Neuropsychologist, 13, 30–47.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fogelman, A. M. (2010). The complexity of high-density lipoproteins. Circulation, 122, 1900–1901.Google Scholar
Formiga, F., Ferrer, A., Chivite, D., Pinto, X., Cuerpo, S. and Pujol, R. (2011). Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, their relationship with baseline functional and cognitive status, and their utility in predicting mortality in nonagenarians. Geriatrics & Gerontology International, 11, 358–364.Google Scholar
Gordon, T., Castelli, W. P., Hjortland, M. C., Kannel, W. B. and Dawber, T. R. (1977). High density lipoprotein as a protective factor against coronary heart disease. The Framingham Study. American Journal of Medicine, 62, 707–714.Google Scholar
Henderson, V., Guthrie, J. and Dennerstein, L. (2003). Serum lipids and memory in a population based cohort of middle age women. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 74, 1530–1535.Google Scholar
Henderson, V. W. (2010). Action of estrogens in the aging brain: dementia and cognitive aging. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – General Subjects, 1800, 1077–1083.Google Scholar
Howard, D. V. (1980). Category norms: a comparison of the Battig and Montague (1969) norms with the responses of adults between the ages of 20 and 80. Journals of Gerontology, 35, 225–231.Google Scholar
Ivnik, R. J., Malec, J. F., Tangalos, E. G., Petersen, R. C., Kokmen, E. and Kurland, L. T. (1990). The auditory-verbal learning test (AVLT): norms for ages 55 years and older. Psychological Assessment: A Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2, 304–312.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaffashian, S. et al. (2011). Predictive utility of the Framingham general cardiovascular disease risk profile for cognitive function: evidence from the Whitehall II study. European Heart Journal, 32, 2326–2332.Google Scholar
Károssy, K., Kerekes, Z., Horváth, D., Gőocze, P. and Kállai, J. (2007). Association of high and low density serum cholesterol, cognitive performance and emotional well-being in menopausal women. Review of Psychology, 14, 13–23.Google Scholar
Mielke, M. M., Xue, Q. L., Zhou, J., Chaves, P. H. M., Fried, L. P. and Carlson, M. C. (2008). Baseline serum cholesterol is selectively associated with motor speed and not rates of cognitive decline: the women's health and aging study II. Journals of Gerontology Series a-Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 63, 619–624.Google Scholar
Mielke, M. M. et al. (2005). High total cholesterol levels in late life associated with a reduced risk of dementia. Neurology, 64, 1689–1695.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Packard, C. J. et al. (2007). Association between apolipoprotein E4 and cognitive decline in elderly adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 55, 1777–1785.Google Scholar
Panza, F. et al. (2006). Lipid metabolism in cognitive decline and dementia. Brain Research Reviews, 51, 275–292.Google Scholar
Reitz, C., Luchsinger, J., Tang, M. X., Manly, J. and Mayeux, R. (2005). Impact of plasma lipids and time on memory performance in healthy elderly without dementia. Neurology, 64, 1378–1383.Google Scholar
Reynolds, C. A., Gatz, M., Prince, J. A., Berg, S. and Pedersen, N. L. (2010). Serum lipid levels and cognitive change in late life. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58, 501–509.Google Scholar
Saxton, J. et al. (2000). Normative data on the Boston naming test and two equivalent 30-item short forms. Clinical Neuropsychologist, 14, 526–534.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schmidt, J. P., Tombaugh, T. N. and Faulkner, P. (1992). Free-recall, cued-recall and recognition procedures with three verbal memory tests: normative data from age 20 to 79. Clinical Neuropsychologist, 6, 185.Google Scholar
Schreurs, B. (2010). The effects of cholesterol on learning and memory. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 34, 1366–1379.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Singh-Manoux, A., Gimeno, D., Kivimaki, M., Brunner, E. and Marmot, M. G. (2008). Low HDL cholesterol is a risk factor for deficit and decline in memory in midlife: the Whitehall II study. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 28, 1556–1562.Google Scholar
Sumerall, S. W., Timmons, P. L., James, A. L., Ewing, M. J. and Oehlert, M. E. (1997). Expanded norms for the controlled oral word association test. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 53, 517–521.3.0.CO;2-H>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tombaugh, T. N. and McIntyre, N. J. (1992). The mini-mental state examination: a comprehensive review. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 40, 922–935.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vaisar, T. et al. (2007). Shotgun proteomics implicates protease inhibition and complement activation in the antiinflammatory properties of HDL. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 117, 746–756.Google Scholar
van den Kommer, T., Dik, M., Comijs, H., Jonker, C. and Deeg, D. (2012). The role of lipoproteins and inflammation in cognitive decline: do they interact? Neurobiology of Aging, 33, 196.e191–196.e112.Google Scholar
van Exel, E. et al. (2002). Association between high-density lipoprotein and cognitive impairment in the oldest old. Annals of Neurology, 51, 716–721.Google Scholar
Wang, H. and Eckel, R. H. (2014). What are lipoproteins doing in the brain? Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 25, 8–14.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1939). Selection and description of tests. The Measurement of Adult Intelligence (pp. 75–103). Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins Co.Google Scholar
Yaffe, K. et al. (2014). Early adult to midlife cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive function. Circulation, 129, 1560–1567.Google Scholar
Yasuno, F. et al. (2012). Association between cognitive function and plasma lipids of the elderly after controlling for apolipoprotein E genotype. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20, 574–583.Google Scholar