Correlation of homocysteine metabolic enzymes gene polymorphism and mild cognitive impairment in the Xinjiang Uygur population

Association between cerebral small vessel disease and plasma levels of LDL cholesterol and homocysteine: Implications for cognitive function

Background

Investigate the correlation between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, homocysteine and cognitive function in patients with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).

Methods

240 patients with CSVD confirmed by head MRI in the Department of Neurology from January 2020 to December 2023 were retrospectively included in the study. All the patients had complete blood biochemical examination, and their cognitive function was evaluated by Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), and after correcting for the factor of years of education, the patients were divided into a group of normal cognition (MoCA 26, 70 patients) and a group of cognitive function (MoCA 26, 70 patients) according to the scores. After correcting for the factor of years of education, the patients were divided into the normal cognitive function group (70 cases with MoCA 26) and the cognitive dysfunction group (170 cases with MoCA <26) according to their scores. The general information of the two groups and the patients' cognitive function characteristics, including visuospatial and executive ability, naming, attention and calculation, language, abstraction, delayed memory, and orientation, were compared, and the independent influences on the occurrence of cognitive dysfunction in patients with CSVD were analyzed by two-category multifactorial logistic regression.

Results

Compared with the group with normal cognitive function, the cognitive dysfunction group had lower years of education and higher homocysteine, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with the group with normal cognitive functioning, the cognitive dysfunction group had lower MoCA total scores, lower visuospatial and executive ability, naming, attention and calculation, language, abstraction, delayed memory, and orientation scores, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Two-category multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR=2.756, 95% CI: 0.673-0.938, P=0.012) and homocysteine (OR=1.859, 95% CI: 1.024-1.324, P=0.016) were the independent factors influencing cognitive dysfunction in CSVD patients. The lower the risk of cognitive impairment in CSVD patients, the higher the plasma LDL cholesterol and homocysteine levels, the higher the risk of cognitive impairment in CSVD patients.

Conclusions

Plasma LDL cholesterol and homocysteine levels are associated with and may be predictors of cognitive dysfunction in patients with CSVD.

Association of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase C677T Gene Polymorphisms with Mild Cognitive Impairment Susceptibility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T (rs1801133) gene polymorphisms are related to a growing risk of Alzheimer's disease; however, whether this association applies to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remains unclear.

Objective

We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the contribution of MTHFR C677T (rs1801133) gene variants to the risk of MCI.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched from their inception to March 21, 2021, with language restricted to English or Chinese. We used fixed or random effects to examine the association between MTHFR C677T (rs1801133) gene variants and MCI susceptibility. Forest plots of pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were generated.

Results

Eight articles with 2,175 participants were included in the present meta-analysis. There was no significant association between MTHFR C677T (rs1801133) gene variants and MCI susceptibility under the allelic (OR, 1.318; 95% CI, 0.964–1.801; p = 0.084), dominant (OR, 1.296; 95% CI, 0.925–1.817; p = 0.132), recessive (OR, 1.397; 95% CI, 0.845–2.312; p = 0.193), heterozygous (OR, 1.031; 95% CI, 0.855–1.243; p = 0.749), or homozygous (OR, 1.506; 95% CI, 0.850–2.667; p = 0.160) models.

Conclusion

The results suggest that MTHFR C677T (rs1801133) gene polymorphisms are not associated with MCI susceptibility. However, large-scale studies covering various factors are required.

Diagnostic Values of Serum Levels of Homocysteine and Uric Acid for Predicting Vascular Mild Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

Background

This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic values of serum levels of Hcy and UA for predicting vascular mild cognitive impairment (VMCI) in patients with cerebral small vessel disease (SVD).

Material/Method

We selected 172 cerebral SVD patients and divided them into a VMCI group and a non-VMCI group. Eighty-six healthy individuals without nervous system diseases were selected as the control group. Enzymatic cycling method was performed to detect serum Hcy and UA levels. Serum levels of folic acid (FOA) and vitamin B12 (VitB12) were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) was applied to evaluate the cognitive function. The ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic values of serum Hcy and UA levels for predicting VMCI. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the possible risk factors.

Results

Compared with the non-VMCI and control groups, serum FOA and VitB12 levels were lower and serum Hcy and UA levels were higher in the VMCI group. AUC values of serum Hcy and UA levels were 0.703 and 0.829, respectively. Serum Hcy and UA levels were negatively correlated with serum FOA and VitB12 levels, total MoCA score, and subscores on visuospatial ability and executive function, on language ability and on delayed recall, and they were positively correlated with serum cholesterol (CH) level. Serum Hcy and UA levels were indicated as risk factors for VMCI in cerebral SVD patients.

Conclusions

These results suggest that serum Hcy and UA levels may serve as predictive factors for VMCI in cerebral SVD patients.