engleski

Association of biochemical factors and age changes in cognitive function

Cognitive decline associated with aging may be explained, in part, by the effects of systemic medical diseases and associated risk factors, which increase in prevalence with older age. Better insight into the nature of these associations could reveal risk factors for MCI, impending AD, depression, or some other disease. The aim of this study was to determine the possible association between biochemical factors and cognitive impairment in old institutionalized people. Subjects were 505 residents of 11 older people’s homes in Zagreb, Croatia, 138 (27, 3%) men and 367 (72, 7) women, aged 56-96 years (average 79 years), mobile and not diagnosed with dementia at baseline. Biochemical variables were measured from the vein blood sample, collected at baseline. Data were collected, at baseline and at 2 years follow-up: sociodemographic, on health status (objective and subjective), health behaviour, functional ability and cognitive function, individually, in the institution, by trained interviewers. Significant associations among certain biochemical factors (triglycerides, lipoprotein levels etc.) and cognitive function were found, different for men and women, and interactions with functional ability. Associations between some biochemical factors and age changes in cognitive function are discussed. The implications of these findings are interesting in terms of intervention and better identification of groups particularly susceptible to cognitive decline.

ageing; cognitive decline; biochemical factors

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