Hyperhomocysteinemia and its effect on ageing and language functions - HEAL study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Hyperhomocysteinemia, elevated blood homocysteine (Hcy) levels (>15 µmol/L), is implicated in vascular and neurodegenerative pathways affecting brain health and cognition.
• Understanding the specific impact of high Hcy on cognitive function and brain structure in aging populations is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between high homocysteine levels and cognitive performance in middle-aged and older adults.
• To examine the relationship between high homocysteine levels and brain volume changes, specifically cerebral white matter volume, in the same cohort.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 1296 participants aged ≥45 years from the Tata Longitudinal Study of Ageing (TLSA).
• Conducted comprehensive cognitive assessments using ACE-III and COGNITO neuropsychological battery.
• Utilized 3T MR imaging for brain volume analysis and classified participants into low and high Hcy groups based on the median level (16.89 µmol/L).

Main Results:

• Adjusted analyses revealed a significant association between high Hcy and poorer performance on vocabulary tasks (p=0.041).
• High Hcy levels were significantly associated with reduced cerebral white matter volume (p=0.043).

Conclusions:

• Elevated homocysteine levels in adults are linked to impaired cognitive function, particularly in language domains.
• High homocysteine is associated with structural brain changes, specifically decreased white matter volume, suggesting a detrimental effect on brain integrity.