A Correlation between Neurocognitive Function and Serum Lipid Levels among the Korean Elderly / 신경정신의학

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we evaluated the correlation between neurocognitive function and serum lipids levels among Koreans over 60 years old. Also, we investigated the sociodemographic risk factors and vascular risk factors in Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: Six hundred fifty elderly persons participated in this study. We screened for cognitive impairment via the Mini-Mental Status Examination-Korean version (MMSE-KC) and evaluated 181 participants using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's disease, Korean version (CERAD-K). For further classification, we employed the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDRS) and DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Participants having a CDRS score of 1 or more were diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease. RESULTS: We diagnosed 38 participants as having Alzheimer's disease, 67 participants as having mild cognitive impairment, and 76 participants as having no cognitive impairment. There were significant differences among the groups with regard to age, education, history of diabetes mellitus medication, history of head trauma, history of CVA, and Hachinski ischemic score (p<0.05). The mild cognitive impairment group showed inverse correlations between triglyceride serum level and both total MMSE-KC score and Orientation in MMSE-KC (rs=-0.267, p=0.029 ; rs=-0.324, p=0.007). This group also showed inverse correlations between total cholesterol serum level and both total MMSE-KC score and Orientation in MMSE-KC (rs=-0.259, p=0.034 ; rs=-0.417, p=0.000) and an inverse correlation between low density lipoprotein serum level and Orientation in MMSE-KC (rs=-0.320, p=0.008). CONCLUSION: There were inverse correlations between some lipids' serum levels and cognitive functions in the mild cognitive impairment group.