Metabolic syndrome associated with decelerated cognitive decline in the oldest old
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Metabolic syndrome appears to predispose to cognitive dysfunction and dementia, with inflammation, hypertension and/or hyperglycaemia thought to be associated with cognitive decline in old age. Metabolic syndrome is also associated with higher risk for leukoaraiosis, an intermediate stage of ischaemic brain damage. In this population-based study, the association between metabolic syndrome and cognitive function was assessed in 599 subjects from age 85 onward. Cognitive function was assessed annually from age 85 to 90 by means of four neuropsychological tests, the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome being recorded at baseline. From age 85 to 90, metabolic syndrome was associated with a decelerated cognitive decline on the Mini-Mental State Examination (P=0.01), the Stroop Test (P=0.01), and the Letter Digit Coding Test (P=0.005), the effect being mainly attributable to glucose, body mass index and, to a lesser extent, to blood pressure. Based on these findings, the authors conclude that the association between metabolic syndrome and cognitive decline is not valid in this very selected population of the oldest old.
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