Midlife C-reactive protein and risk of cognitive decline: a 31-year follow-up
Danielle Laurin1, J David Curb, Kamal H Masaki
1Laval University Geriatrics Research Unit, Centre de recherche du CHA, and Faculty of Pharmacy, Laval University, 1050 Chemin Sainte-Foy, Local L2-30, Quebec City, Quebec G1S 4L8, Canada.
Insights
Midlife high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels are linked to later cognitive decline in men. Higher midlife hs-CRP concentrations predicted greater cognitive decline, suggesting inflammation
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Inflammation research
Background:
- Raised inflammatory markers, like high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), are associated with cognitive decline and dementia later in life.
- Understanding the impact of midlife inflammation on long-term cognitive trajectories is crucial for dementia prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between midlife hs-CRP concentrations and longitudinal cognitive function trends in late life.
- To investigate if midlife inflammation predicts cognitive decline in Japanese American men.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (HAAS), a longitudinal study of Japanese American men.
- Measured midlife hs-CRP levels approximately 25 years before baseline cognitive assessments.
- Assessed cognitive function using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) over multiple follow-up examinations (mean 6.1 years).
Main Results:
- Men in the highest quartile of midlife hs-CRP showed significantly greater cognitive decline compared to those in the lowest quartile, after adjusting for covariates.
- This association between midlife hs-CRP and cognitive decline was observed when incident dementia cases were included in the analysis.
- The relationship was not significant when dementia cases were excluded, nor was it modified by apolipoprotein E ε4 status.
Conclusions:
- Midlife inflammation, indicated by hs-CRP levels, may be an early marker for underlying pathological processes contributing to dementia-related cognitive decline.
- These findings highlight the potential role of midlife inflammatory mechanisms in the development of cognitive impairment in older age.
Abstract:
There is evidence for a relationship between raised inflammatory markers, including high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), measured late in life, and an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. This study evaluates the association of midlife hs-CRP concentrations with late-life longitudinal trends in cognitive function. Data are from the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (HAAS), a longitudinal community-based study of Japanese American men. hs-CRP levels were measured on average 25 years before cognitive testing began in 1991. Subjects were followed from up to three follow-up examinations (mean of 6.1 years). At each exam, cognitive function was measured with the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI). This analysis includes a sub-sample of 691 subjects dementia-free in 1991. With incident dementia cases included, those with the highest quartile of hs-CRP had significantly more cognitive decline than those in the lowest quartile, after adjustment for baseline CASI score, demographic and cardiovascular risk factors. When cases were removed, there was no difference in cognitive decline by CRP quartile. This relationship was not modified by the presence of apolipoprotein E varepsilon4. These findings suggest that inflammatory mechanisms during midlife may reflect underlying processes contributing to dementia-related cognitive decline late in life.
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