Oxidative Stress in Elderly with Different Cognitive Status: My Mind Project.

Abstract

Biomarkers of oxidative stress have been associated with cognitive status in humans and have been proposed to guide prognosis/treatment in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The aim of this study was to compare oxidative stress status in the plasma of mild-moderate AD, MCI, and healthy elderly with normal cognition (HE) undergoing a non-pharmacological intervention including multi-modal cognitive training ("My Mind Project"). A prospective randomized trial involving 321 elderly people enrolled in Marche Region, Italy. Each subject was randomly assigned to an experimental (cognitive training) or to a control group. Cognitive performances and biomarkers have been analyzed before intervention (baseline), immediately after termination (follow-up 1), after 6 months (follow-up 2), and after 2 years (follow-up 3). The biological antioxidant potential (BAP) to Diacron reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROM) ratio has been used as an indicator of oxidative stress status and as outcome variable. We have found no differences in the oxidative status among AD, MCI, and HE. Neither did we find a significant effect of the intervention within experimental groups. Gender was the sole factor with a strong significant effect on BAP/d-ROM. Based on these results, the utility of biomarkers of oxidative stress to guide prognosis/treatment in AD or MCI seems to be limited by lack of specificity, large interindividual variability, and gender bias.