Cognitive performance in elderly women: significance of the 19bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in the 5′ flank of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase gene, educational level, body fat measures, serum triglyceride, alcohol consumption and age

Background Genetic and environmental factors influence cognitive aging. The gene encoding dopamine beta‐hydroxylase (DBH) could be one such factor since this hydroxylase converts dopamine to norepinephrine both of which are involved in cognition regulation. Objective To assess the effect of the 19bp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	International journal of geriatric psychiatry Vol. 22; no. 9; pp. 883 - 889
Main Authors:	Togsverd, Mads, Werge, Thomas M., Tankó, Laszlo B., Bagger, Yu Z., Qin, George G., Hansen, Thomas, Christiansen, Claus, Rasmussen, Henrik B.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01-09-2007 Wiley Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Subjects:	5' Untranslated Regions Age Factors Aged Aged, 80 and over Alcohol Drinking Biological and medical sciences Body Composition Body fat body fat measures Cognition & reasoning Cognition - physiology cognitive abilities Cross-Sectional Studies dopamine beta-hydroxylase Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase - genetics Educational Status Female Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology genetic polymorphisms Genetic Predisposition to Disease Genetics Genotype Geriatric psychiatry Geriatrics Humans Lipids - blood Medical sciences Mental Status Schedule Middle Aged Miscellaneous Multivariate Analysis Neurotransmitters Polymorphism, Genetic postmenopausal women Psychoanalysis Psychological Tests Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry Psychopathology. Psychiatry Public health. Hygiene Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine Regression Analysis Risk Factors Triglycerides - blood Weights & measures Womens health Performance evaluation Biological fluid Education level body fat measures Insertion Lipids Cognition cognitive abilities dopamine beta-hydroxylase Fat mass Gene Deletion Female Genetics Serum Human Dopamine postmenopausal women Enzyme Hydroxylase Catecholamine Triglyceride genetic polymorphisms Sociodemographic factor Neurotransmitter Oxidoreductases Performance Elderly Polymorphism
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Summary:	Background Genetic and environmental factors influence cognitive aging. The gene encoding dopamine beta‐hydroxylase (DBH) could be one such factor since this hydroxylase converts dopamine to norepinephrine both of which are involved in cognition regulation. Objective To assess the effect of the 19bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in the 5′ flank of the DBH gene on cognitive performance in elderly women relative to other factors of cognitive aging. Methods We examined a cross‐sectional sample of 1371 postmenopausal women. Cognitive abilities were assessed by the 6‐item orientation‐memory‐concentration test. The 19bp insertion/deletion polymorphism of the DBH gene was genotyped and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele status was determined. In addition blood pressure, body fat mass and blood lipids were measured. Information was also obtained by personal interviews. Data were analyzed by regression analysis. Results Cognition was univariately associated with DBH genotype (p = 0.04). A univariate association of borderline significance was observed for APOE ε4 allele status (p = 0.07). Exclusion of women with severe cognition impairment did not alter the strength of the association with the DBH gene polymorphism markedly (p = 0.06) but obliterated the weak association between APOE ε4 allele status and cognition. The association of the DBH gene polymorphism with cognition persisted after adjustment for other variables (p = 0.03). Conclusions The 19bp insertion/deletion polymorphism of the DBH gene influences cognition in elderly women and might have a stronger effect than APOE ε4 allele status on mild cognitive impairment. Both genetic polymorphisms had a significantly smaller impact on cognition than age, education, alcohol consumption and body fat measures. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bibliography:	ark:/67375/WNG-L2QPVVZ5-M istex:4611CDE3A65ECEB50ADF95B8F48E1B376F1622F2 ArticleID:GPS1756 ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0885-6230 1099-1166
DOI:	10.1002/gps.1756