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Methylmalonic acid and cognitive function in the Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study
Cherie McCracken1, Peter Hudson, Richard Ellis
1University Department of Psychiatry, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|December 13, 2006
Summary
High methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels, a marker of vitamin B-12 deficiency, are linked to poorer cognitive function in older adults. This highlights the importance of vitamin B-12 status for maintaining cognitive health.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Nutritional Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Elevated homocysteine is a known dementia risk factor.
- Associations between methylmalonic acid (MMA), a marker of vitamin B-12 deficiency, and cognitive function are less understood.
- Investigating MMA and holotranscobalamin as biomarkers for cognitive health in the elderly is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess serum MMA and holotranscobalamin as indicators of vitamin B-12 status in relation to cognitive function.
- To examine the association between these biomarkers and specific cognitive domains.
- To understand the role of vitamin B-12 in cognitive decline among the elderly.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey of 84 non-demented elderly participants (aged >69 years).
- Cognitive assessment using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Cognitive Section of the Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination (CAMCOG).
- Analysis of serum MMA, holotranscobalamin, and folate levels.
Main Results:
- 43% of participants exhibited likely metabolically significant vitamin B-12 deficiency.
- Higher MMA concentrations correlated with lower MMSE scores, independent of age and education.
- MMA levels were inversely associated with CAMCOG scores for ideational praxis, language comprehension, and expression.
- Serum folate showed weak but significant correlations with language, remote memory, and praxis scores.
Conclusions:
- A high prevalence of vitamin B-12 deficiency in the elderly is associated with reduced cognitive function.
- Specifically, lower scores in language comprehension and expression are linked to vitamin B-12 deficiency.
- MMA serves as a valuable marker for assessing vitamin B-12 status and its impact on cognitive health in older adults.
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