Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #149894
Title: VITAMIN E LEVELS, COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND DEMENTIA IN OLDER PERSONS: THE INCHIANTI STUDY

Author
item MARTIN, ANTONIO - HNRCA
item CHERUBINI, ANTONIO - U PERUGIA, ITALY
item ANDRES-LACUEVA, CRISTINA - U BARCELONA, SPAIN
item DI IORIO, ANGELO - U PERUGIA, ITALY
item LAMPONI, MARCO - U PERUGIA, ITALY
item MECOCCI, PATRIZIA - U PERUGIA, ITALY
item BARTALI, BENEDETTA - U PERUGIA, ITALY
item CORSI, ANNAMARIA - U PERUGIA, ITALY
item SENIN, UMBERTO - U PERUGIA, ITALY
item LUIGI, FERRUCCI - U PERUGIA, ITALY

Submitted to: Neurobiology of Aging
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/23/2004
Publication Date: 7/1/2005
Citation: Martin, A., Cherubini, A., Andres-Lacueva, C., Di Iorio, A., Lamponi, M., Mecocci, P., Bartali, B., Corsi, A., Senin, U., Luigi, F. 2005. Vitamin e levels, cognitive impairment and dementia in older persons: the inchianti study. Neurobiology of Aging. 26(7):987-94.

Interpretive Summary: A significant number of studies have indicated that higher intake of antioxidants may help to limit the buildup of cellular damage associated with disease, and promote and maintain health and cognitive performance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether blood levels of vitamin E are related to risk of dementia and cognitive impairment in an elderly population-based cohort study conducted in Italy: the InCHIANTI Study. A total of 1036 participants who agreed to donate blood for vitamin E analysis were aged at least 65 years, non-institutionalized and had reliable dietary assessment. All participants were neurologically and psychologically examined at the time of blood drawn. The main findings of this study were that the incidence of dementia and cognitive impairment were associated with low levels of vitamin E in blood. Vitamin E intake from foods in the highest tertile, was associated with higher plasma vitamin concentrations and a decreased risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia after adjustment for age, education, sex, lipid levels, total energy intake, vitamin E intake, and smoking. Participants with the lowest plasma vitamin E had significantly higher risk of being demented and having impaired cognitive functions compared to those having higher vitamin E. In conclusion, this study suggests that higher blood levels of vitamin E may lower the risk of dementia and preserve cognitive function.

Technical Abstract: A significant number of studies have indicated that higher intake of antioxidants may help to limit the buildup of cellular damage associated with disease, and promote and maintain health and cognitive performance. To determine whether blood levels of vitamin E are related to risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, the InCHIANTI Study, a population-based cohort study conducted in Italy, included a total of 1036 participants who agreed to donate blood for vitamin E analysis. The participants were aged at least 65 years, non-institutionalized and had reliable dietary assessment. Participants were neurologically and psychologically examined at the time of blood drawn. Incidence of dementia and cognitive impairment, based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition (DSM-III-R) criteria and National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria, and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), associated with blood levels of vitamin E. Blood levels of vitamin E from foods in the highest tertile was associated with a decreased risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia after adjustment for age, education, sex, lipid levels, total energy intake, vitamin E intake, and smoking. Participants with plasma vitamin E in the bottom tertile were at significantly higher risk not only of being demented (O.R. 2.56, 95% C.I. 1.00-6.62) but also of having impaired cognitive functions (O.R. 1.87, 95% C.I. 1.27-2.75) compared to those in the highest vitamin E tertile and gender, the strength of the association between plasma vitamin E levels and cognitive impairment or dementia was reduced after adjustment, but in both cases it remained statistically significant. This study suggests that higher blood levels of vitamin E may lower the risk of dementia and preserve cognitive function.