TY - JOUR
T1 - Telomere length and cognitive function in community-dwelling elders
T2 - Findings from the Health ABC Study
AU - Yaffe, Kristine
AU - Lindquist, Karla
AU - Kluse, Molly
AU - Cawthon, Richard
AU - Harris, Tamara
AU - Hsueh, Wen Chi
AU - Simonsick, Eleanor M.
AU - Kuller, Lewis
AU - Li, Rongling
AU - Ayonayon, Hilsa N.
AU - Rubin, Susan M.
AU - Cummings, Steven R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was conducted on behalf of the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study. This work was funded by: AG-6-2101, AG-6-2103, AG-6-2106, and AG021918. This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute on Aging. Dr. Yaffe was supported in part by AG031155 and an anonymous foundation.
PY - 2011/11
Y1 - 2011/11
N2 - Telomere shortening is a marker of cellular aging and has been associated with risk of Alzheimer's disease. Few studies have determined if telomere length is associated with cognitive decline in non-demented elders. We prospectively studied 2734 non-demented elders (mean age: 74 years). We measured cognition with the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3MS) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) repeatedly over 7 years. Baseline telomere length was measured in blood leukocytes and classified by tertile as "short", "medium", or "long". At baseline, longer telomere length was associated with better DSST score (36.4, 34.9 and 34.4 points for long, medium and short, p<0.01) but not for change in score. However, 7-year 3MS change scores were less among those with longer telomere length (-1.7 points vs. -2.5 and -2.9, p=0.01). Findings were similar after multivariable adjustment for age, gender, race, education, assay batch, and baseline score. There was a borderline statistically significant interaction for telomere length and APOE e4 on 3MS change score (p=0.06). Thus, telomere length may serve as a biomarker for cognitive aging.
AB - Telomere shortening is a marker of cellular aging and has been associated with risk of Alzheimer's disease. Few studies have determined if telomere length is associated with cognitive decline in non-demented elders. We prospectively studied 2734 non-demented elders (mean age: 74 years). We measured cognition with the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3MS) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) repeatedly over 7 years. Baseline telomere length was measured in blood leukocytes and classified by tertile as "short", "medium", or "long". At baseline, longer telomere length was associated with better DSST score (36.4, 34.9 and 34.4 points for long, medium and short, p<0.01) but not for change in score. However, 7-year 3MS change scores were less among those with longer telomere length (-1.7 points vs. -2.5 and -2.9, p=0.01). Findings were similar after multivariable adjustment for age, gender, race, education, assay batch, and baseline score. There was a borderline statistically significant interaction for telomere length and APOE e4 on 3MS change score (p=0.06). Thus, telomere length may serve as a biomarker for cognitive aging.
KW - Biomarker
KW - Cognitive decline
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Genetics
KW - Telomeres
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U2 - 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2009.12.006
DO - 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2009.12.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 20031273
AN - SCOPUS:80052617023
SN - 0197-4580
VL - 32
SP - 2055
EP - 2060
JO - Neurobiology of aging
JF - Neurobiology of aging
IS - 11
ER -