Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #113242
Title: HYPERHOMOCYSTEINEMIA ASSOCIATED WITH POOR RECALL IN A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF U.S. SENIORS

Author
item MORRIS, MARTHA - HNRCA-TUFTS
item JACQUES, PAUL - HNRCA-TUFTS
item SELHUB, JACOB - HNRCA-TUFTS
item ROSENBERG, IRWIN - HNRCA-TUFTS

Submitted to: American Aging Association
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2000
Publication Date: 6/2/2000
Citation: MORRIS, M.S., JACQUES, P.F., SELHUB, J., ROSENBERG, I.H. HYPERHOMOCYSTEINEMIA ASSOCIATED WITH POOR RECALL IN A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF U.S. SENIORS. AMERICAN AGING ASSOCIATION. 2000.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Higher circulating homocysteine concentrations have long been known to be associated with stroke, and they have recently been linked to Alzheimer's Disease. This could indicate that both major causes of age-related memory impairment are etiologically linked through homocysteine. Both homocys- teine and folate, which are inversely related, have been found in studies to be associated with cognitive function. Phase 2 (1991-1994) of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected data on serum total homocysteine (tHcy). Participants aged >/= 60 years were also administered a paragraph delayed recall test. We looked at the association between test score and tHcy concentration among seniors who reported no previous stroke and the completion of >/= 8 years of education (N = 1,195). After adjustment for age, gender, race/ ethnicity, income level, and education in a multiple linear regression analysis, recall test scores decreased significantly (P <0.01) with increasing tHcy concentration. In a stepwise multiple linear regression procedure involving terms for various micronutrients, only serum total calcium concentration, serum tHcy concen- tration, and the demographic factors were found to be associated with recall score. The relationship between recall and tHcy was not confounded by red blood cell folate concentration, which was significantly related to recall when tHcy concentration was not controlled. The odds ratio from a multiple logistic regression model relating a serum tHcy concentration above the 80 percentile of the distribution (13.7 micromol/L) to recall of fewer than two of six story ideas was 2.1 (95% CI = 1.2 - 3.0). Results indicated that high serum total homocysteine concentration was strongly associated with poor recall among seniors.