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Low plasma vitamin B6 predicts cognitive decline and depression in at‐risk individuals
Author(s) -
Scott Tammy Maria,
Tucker Katherine L
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.346.6
Subject(s) - medicine , cognitive decline , depression (economics) , homocysteine , cohort , diabetes mellitus , risk factor , vitamin d and neurology , effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance , endocrinology , c reactive protein , b vitamins , cognition , gastroenterology , psychology , psychiatry , inflammation , dementia , disease , economics , macroeconomics
Vitamin B6 (PLP) is essential in many aspects of brain function such as neurotransmitter synthesis, receptor binding, macronutrient metabolism, and gene expression, and deficiencies have been associated with higher levels of inflammation and risk of atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to assess whether low plasma PLP concentration (< 30 nm/L) was a risk factor for cognitive decline in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study cohort (n=1148; 28% male; mean age = 57.1y (SD ± 7.6). 30% (n=347) of participants had low PLP status. Low PLP was associated with smoking, diabetes, and higher BMI (p≤ 0.001 for all), as well as higher plasma homocysteine (Hcy) (p≤0.05), C‐reactive protein (CRP) (p≤0.001) and white blood‐cell (WBC) count (p≤0.05). Low PLP status was predictive of 2 year decline in executive cognitive function (≥ 1 SD decrease in cognitive testing composite score) [OR = 1.73 (95% CI 1.04 – 2.87), p=0.033] and with a similar trend for memory [OR = 1.62 (95% CI 0.97 – 2.80), p=0.086], adjusting for baseline cognitive score, demographics, vitamins B9, B12, C, and D, and diabetes, hypertension, depression, Hcy, CRP, WBC and lifestyle variables. PLP quintile was inversely related to depressive symptoms severity (β=‐0.673, se±0.31; p=0.029) and perceived stress (β=−0.552, se±0.22; p=0.010) in similar full models. Low PLP status remains a risk factor for cognitive decline and depression in at‐risk populations.