Leukocyte telomere length is associated with cognitive performance in healthy women.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Age-related cognitive decline begins in mid-life and continues with advancing age. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) shortens with age, and inflammation and oxidative stress enhance this process. Shorter LTL is associated with dementia.

Methods

The relationship between cognitive function and LTL was investigated in a cross-sectional study of 382 women (mean age 50.6 years, range 19-78), not diagnosed with any form of dementia or cognitive impairment, from the TwinsUK cohort using six tests from the Cambridge neuropsychological test automated battery (CANTAB).

Results

After adjusting for age and estimated prior intellectual ability, we observed significant correlations of LTL with episodic memory and associated learning (PAL, p=0.032), recognition memory for n

SUBMITTER: Valdes AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2876308 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature