The association between triglyceride-glucose index and cognitive function in nondiabetic elderly: NHANES 2011-2014

The relationship between Insulin resistance (IR) evaluated through homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and cognitive function is controversial among nondiabetic individuals. No study so far has reported the association between the IR evaluated through triglyceride glucose (TyG) index and cognitive function among nondiabetics. This study aims to assess this association among US nondiabetic older elderly.

Data were obtained from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Low cognitive function was evaluated using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Battery for immediate word list learning (CERAD-WL) and delayed recall (CERAD-DR) test, the Animal Fluency Test (AFT), and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to compute the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidential interval (CI) to examine the association between the TyG index (continuous and quartiles) and low cognitive function.

A total of 661 nondiabetic older adults were included with a mean age of 68.62 ± 6.49 years. Compared to the 1st quartile of the TyG index, participants in the TyG index 4th quartile were associated with low cognitive function evaluated through the CERAD test (CERAD-WL and CERAD-DR) [OR: 2.62; 95% CI (1.31, 5.23); P < 0.05]. Subgroup analyses showed that females (OR_{Q4 VS Q1}: 3.07; 95% CI (1.04, 9.05); P < 0.05) and smokers (OR _{Q4 VS Q1}: 2.70; 95% CI (1.01, 7.26); P < 0.05) categories were related with a higher risk of low cognitive function.

A high TyG index was strongly correlated with low cognitive function evaluated through the CERAD test (CERAD-WL and CERAD-DR) among US nondiabetic older women. The management of IR in women might be beneficial to primarily prevent low cognitive function among nondiabetic older elderly.