Decreased Adiponectin Levels Are a Risk Factor for Cognitive Decline in Spinal Cord Injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience and Endocrinology
• Biomarker discovery in neurological disorders

Background:

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) is increasingly recognized, often leading to cognitive decline.
• Adiponectin, a protein hormone, plays roles in various diseases, but its association with SCI and cognitive function remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between serum adiponectin levels and cognitive function in patients with acute SCI.
• To determine if adiponectin can serve as a predictive biomarker for cognitive decline post-SCI.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 64 healthy controls and 92 acute SCI patients.
• Collected data on serum adiponectin, demographics, lifestyle, medical history, and baseline clinical markers.
• Assessed cognitive function using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) three months post-enrollment.

Main Results:

• SCI patients exhibited significantly lower serum adiponectin levels compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001).
• Higher serum adiponectin levels at three months post-SCI correlated with higher MoCA scores.
• Multivariate analysis identified serum adiponectin level as a significant protective factor for cognitive function after SCI (β = 0.210, p = 0.043).

Conclusions:

• Serum adiponectin levels are significantly reduced in patients with acute spinal cord injury.
• Adiponectin serves as an independent predictor of cognitive function in individuals following acute SCI.
• This finding highlights adiponectin's potential as a valuable biomarker for monitoring cognitive health in SCI patients.