Abstract
The issue of whether serum lipid marker values are cognitively and neurologically significant for elderly individuals attending a memory clinic has been controversial. We investigated the associations of serum lipid markers with the memory function and cortical structure in 52 patients aged ≥75 years who had attended our memory clinic based on their subjective memory complaints. None had a history of medication for hyperlipidemia. The Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) was administered to all patients for the assessment of their memory function. Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), and triglyceride (TG) were measured for each patient. Surface-based morphometry (SBM) was performed for the calculation of each patient's cortical thickness and gyrification index based on structural MRI data. Our analyses revealed that the serum HDLC level was positively and significantly correlated with the WMS-R subtests of visual paired associates I/II and logical memory I (p < 0.05). The serum TG level was negatively correlated with the logical memory I subtest. The SBM results showed positive correlations between the serum HDLC level and the gyrification indices of the bilateral insular and frontal opercular cortices, and those two gyrification indices were positively correlated with the logical memory I and visual paired associates I/II. These results suggest that in these elderly patients, a high serum HDLC level was associated with not only preserved memory function but also gyrification of the insular and frontal opercular cortex. We conclude that elderly individuals' serum lipid markers should be carefully assessed in memory clinic settings, because serum HDLC may be a biomarker for memory function and cortical structure.
Highlights
Dementia is characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and disability in daily activities
We examined the association of cortical structure with serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and TG levels, both of which were significantly correlated with memory function (Table 2)
Our findings further showed that the gyrification of the bilateral insular cortex and frontal opercular cortex was clearly associated with the patients' memory function measured by the visual paired associates I, visual paired associates II, and logical memory I subtests (Figs. 2 and 3)
Summary
Dementia is characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and disability in daily activities. Vascular risk factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, overweight, and smoking are known to enhance the risk of dementia (Blom et al, 2013). Among these factors, the association between hyperlipidemia and dementia remains unclear. Studies with serum lipid levels measured in later life showed no association (Li et al, 2005) or an inverse association with dementia risk (Mielke et al, 2005). Because dementia typically affects elderly people and is a leading contributor to disability and dependence (Sousa et al, 2009), it is crucial to clarify whether the measurement of elderly individuals' serum lipid markers is cognitively and neurologically useful
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