Functional magnetic resonance imaging response as an early biomarker of cognitive decline in elderly patients with metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed whether potential changes in brain activation patterns of elderly individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) who were cognitively healthy (without mild cognitive impairment or dementia) were associated with cognitive decline in executive function in the short-term. METHOD: We analyzed 43 individuals (23 MetS, 20 controls) using a global geriatric evaluation, a neuropsychological battery, and task-related (attention) fMRI exam. Correlation analysis between the fMRI signal at baseline and cognitive impairment after 1year was based on the voxel-based Pearson coefficient, corrected for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: At baseline, MetS patients showed reduced brain response in frontal and parietal regions compared to controls. After one year, the MetS group also showed a decline in verbal fluency performance. fMRI response in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and bilateral parietal lobes was negatively correlated with verbal fluency decline in the MetS group. DISCUSSION: Our results provide an early biomarker of the possible development of cognitive impairment, particularly in the executive function, of elderly individuals suffering from MetS. These findings also point to an up or down regulation which could be interpreted as compensatory mechanism for possible brain tissue burden caused by MetS.

Cognitive assessment in an elderly population with metabolic syndrome in Brazil / Avaliação cognitiva de uma população idosa com síndrome metabólica no Brasil

Chronic degenerative conditions are very common in the elderly. According to medical literature, there is a correlation between cognitive impairment among elders and arterial hypertension/hyperglycemia which in turn are common diseases among the elderly population worldwide. Nonetheless, data on the association between cognitive impairment and Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: To compare the cognitive status of Brazilian elderly outpatients with and without MetS. METHODS: A cross-sectional case-control study with 49 subjects (25 MetS and 24 controls) who underwent a global geriatric and neuropsychological assessment was carried out. The scores for cognitive abilities (sustained attention, alternating attention, immediate memory, working memory, memory - immediate recall, memory - delayed recall, memory - recognition, executive function, ideomotor praxis, constructive praxis, naming ability, verbal fluency) were compared with the data for the normal population and differences between case and control groups were analyzed using Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: Forty-five patients (91.8%) were female, with a mean age of 73.9±5.9 years, and 3.0±1.0 years of schooling. A significant difference (p<0.01) was found between case and control groups regarding the MetS components. For cognitive abilities, no statistically significant difference was detected between the groups and all subjects presented low cognitive scores. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in the present study showed that MetS was not associated with cognitive impairment in this population. Further prospective studies are necessary to investigate the influence of well-controlled MetS on cognitive performance among elders.

Quadros crônico-degenerativos são prevalentes na população idosa. Estudos prévios tem correlacionado prejuízo cognitivo em idosos com hipertensão e hiperglicemia que por sua vez são doenças bastante comuns do envelhecimento na população mundial. Apesar disso ainda existem dados controversos sobre a associação entre prejuízo cognitivo e síndrome metabólica (SMet). OBJETIVO: Comparar o estado cognitivo de pacientes brasileiros idosos em atendimento ambulatorial com e sem SMet.MÉTODOS: Estudo de caso-controle transversal com 49 pacientes (25 com SMet e 24 controles) que foram submetidos à avaliação geriátrica global e neuropsicológica. Os escores de habilidades cognitivas (atenção sustentada, atenção alternada, memória imediata, memória operacional, memória tardia - evocação imediata, tardia e de reconhecimento -, função executiva, praxia ideomotora, praxia visuo-construtiva, habilidade de nomeação e fluência verbal) foram comparados com dados da população saudável e a diferença entre caso e controle foi analisada usando o teste t de Student ou o teste de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Quarenta e cinco pacientes (91.8%) foram mulheres com idade média de 73.9±5.9 anos e escolaridade média de 3.0±1.0 anos. Observou-se uma diferença significativa (p<0.01) entre os grupos com relação aos critérios da SMet. Com relação às habilidades cognitivas não houve diferença estatística entre os grupos e todos os pacientes apresentaram baixo escore cognitivo. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados obtidos no presente estudo indicaram que a SMet não foi associada com o prejuízo cognitivo nesta população. Outros estudos prospectivos são necessários para melhor investigar a influência de idosos bem compensados nos componentes da SMet no desempenho cognitivo ao longo do tempo.

Cognitive assessment in an elderly population with metabolic syndrome in Brazil.

Chronic degenerative conditions are very common in the elderly. According to medical literature, there is a correlation between cognitive impairment among elders and arterial hypertension/hyperglycemia which in turn are common diseases among the elderly population worldwide. Nonetheless, data on the association between cognitive impairment and Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: To compare the cognitive status of Brazilian elderly outpatients with and without MetS. METHODS: A cross-sectional case-control study with 49 subjects (25 MetS and 24 controls) who underwent a global geriatric and neuropsychological assessment was carried out. The scores for cognitive abilities (sustained attention, alternating attention, immediate memory, working memory, memory - immediate recall, memory - delayed recall, memory - recognition, executive function, ideomotor praxis, constructive praxis, naming ability, verbal fluency) were compared with the data for the normal population and differences between case and control groups were analyzed using Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: Forty-five patients (91.8%) were female, with a mean age of 73.9±5.9 years, and 3.0±1.0 years of schooling. A significant difference (p<0.01) was found between case and control groups regarding the MetS components. For cognitive abilities, no statistically significant difference was detected between the groups and all subjects presented low cognitive scores. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in the present study showed that MetS was not associated with cognitive impairment in this population. Further prospective studies are necessary to investigate the influence of well-controlled MetS on cognitive performance among elders.

Quadros crônico-degenerativos são prevalentes na população idosa. Estudos prévios tem correlacionado prejuízo cognitivo em idosos com hipertensão e hiperglicemia que por sua vez são doenças bastante comuns do envelhecimento na população mundial. Apesar disso ainda existem dados controversos sobre a associação entre prejuízo cognitivo e síndrome metabólica (SMet). OBJETIVO: Comparar o estado cognitivo de pacientes brasileiros idosos em atendimento ambulatorial com e sem SMet. MÉTODOS: Estudo de caso-controle transversal com 49 pacientes (25 com SMet e 24 controles) que foram submetidos à avaliação geriátrica global e neuropsicológica. Os escores de habilidades cognitivas (atenção sustentada, atenção alternada, memória imediata, memória operacional, memória tardia - evocação imediata, tardia e de reconhecimento -, função executiva, praxia ideomotora, praxia visuo-construtiva, habilidade de nomeação e fluência verbal) foram comparados com dados da população saudável e a diferença entre caso e controle foi analisada usando o teste t de Student ou o teste de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Quarenta e cinco pacientes (91.8%) foram mulheres com idade média de 73.9±5.9 anos e escolaridade média de 3.0±1.0anos. Observou-se uma diferença significativa (p<0.01) entre os grupos com relação aos critérios da SMet. Com relação às habilidades cognitivas não houve diferença estatística entre os grupos e todos os pacientes apresentaram baixo escore cognitivo. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados obtidos no presente estudo indicaram que a SMet não foi associada com o prejuízo cognitivo nesta população. Outros estudos prospectivos são necessários para melhor investigar a influência de idosos bem compensados nos componentes da SMet no desempenho cognitivo ao longo do tempo.