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Updated: Aug 14, 2025
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Age- and Sex-Different Associations between Cognitive Performance and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Community Dwelling
1Prof Liang-Kung Chen, Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital. No. 201, Sec 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, Taiwan, E-mail: lkchen2@vghtpe.gov.tw, Telephone: +886-2-28757830, Fax numbers:+886-2-28757711.
Background:
Studies have demonstrated associations between inflammatory biomarkers and cognitive function in people with dementia or stroke, but little is known regarding these associations in healthy middle-aged and older populations.
Objectives:
This study aims to examine associations between inflammatory biomarkers (both vascular and systemic) and cognitive performance in stroke- and dementia-free middle-aged and older adults without apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE ε4) allele carriers.
Design:
A cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study (SEBAS) 2006.
Participants:
A total of 983 participants aged 53 years and older.
Measurements:
Composite cognitive function assessment, including the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Overnight venous blood sampling for 6 inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, homocysteine, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and E-selectin) and ApoE genotyping.
Results:
Among 983 participants (mean age: 65.8±9.5 years), 808 were non-ApoE e4 allele carriers and were stroke- and dementia-free. Higher log fibrinogen was associated with poorer cognitive function after adjustment for potential confounding factors in non-ApoE e4 allele carriers and stroke- and dementia-free populations (unstandardized coefficients β= -1.553, P value= 0.003). In participants aged 65 years or older, both of elevated fibrinogen and homocysteine were associated with poorer cognitive function (β= -2.288, P value= 0.015; β= -1.331, P value= 0.012, respectively). Elevated log CRP was significantly associated with lower cognitive function only in women (β= -0.514, P value= 0.024).
Conclusion:
Higher serum levels of fibrinogen were negatively associated with cognitive function, which was independent of ApoE genotyping and prior cerebrovascular events in dementia-free community-dwelling older adults. Further studies are needed to validate the roles of fibrinogen in the pathophysiology of dementia and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
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