Telomere length and cognitive changes in 7,877 older UK adults of European ancestry
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.This study found no significant link between telomere length (TL) and cognitive performance in older adults. While some age-dependent associations were noted, overall, genetic disposition for TL and measured TL did not predict cognitive changes.
Area Of Science
- Gerontology
- Genetics
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background
- Telomere length (TL) is associated with cognitive function, decline, and dementia.
- Investigating the relationship between TL and cognitive performance is crucial for understanding aging.
- Older adults are a key demographic for studying cognitive aging and its biological underpinnings.
Purpose Of The Study
- To determine if measured telomere length (RTL) and genetic disposition for telomere length (PGS-TL) predict cognitive performance in UK adults aged 50 and over.
- To examine the association of RTL and PGS-TL with baseline cognitive abilities and longitudinal changes in cognition.
- To explore potential age-dependent or domain-specific relationships between TL and cognitive function.
Main Methods
- Analysis of longitudinal data from the PROTECT study, including participants aged 50+ without dementia.
- Calculation of polygenic scores for telomere length (PGS-TL) for 7,877 participants.
- Measurement of relative telomere length (RTL) in 846 participants using saliva DNA.
- Application of latent growth models to assess the predictive power of RTL and PGS-TL on cognitive performance across four annual time points.
Main Results
- No significant associations were found between RTL or PGS-TL and overall cognitive performance or longitudinal cognitive changes in the entire sample.
- In older adults (≥ ~62 years), longer baseline RTL showed a nominal association with poorer verbal reasoning.
- PGS-TL was associated with cognitive performance over time in older adults, indicating a potential influence on cognitive trajectories.
Conclusions
- Findings suggest a potential absence of a significant relationship between telomere length and cognitive performance in older adults of European ancestry.
- A weak, age-dependent, and domain-specific relationship between telomere length and cognition may exist.
- Further research with diverse samples and longer follow-up is needed; alternative biomarkers like epigenetic clocks may aid in early risk detection for cognitive decline.
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