Antioxidant vitamins, cerebrovascular disease and cognitive function in elderly people
Antioxidant vitamins, cerebrovascular disease and cognitive function in elderly people
In 1973-4, the Department of Health and Social Security carried out a nutritional survey of people aged 65 and over. Participants' cognitive function was assessed by a geriatrician. This cohort was followed up to determine the relation between vitamin C status, cognitive function and mortality from stroke or coronary heart disease. In 1993, a group of elderly people in Sheffield had an ultrasound scan of their carotid arteries and had their cognitive function assessed. Three years later, these examinations were repeated and plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins were measured. This cohort was used to investigate the interrelation between antioxidant vitamin status, carotid atherosclerosis and cognitive function.
Mortality from stroke in the DHSS cohort was highest in those with the poorest vitamin C status. Results from Sheffield showed that people with lower plasma vitamin C concentrations had more carotid sites affected by plaque. The DHSS survey did not collect data on vitamin E or β-carotene, but in the Sheffield cohort, people with lower cholesterol-adjusted vitamin E concentrations had increased carotid intima-media thickness, more sites affected by plaque and a greater degree of stenosis. By contrast, β-carotene concentrations were not related to any measure of carotid atherosclerosis.
Poorer performance on a simple test of cognitive function was associated with increased mortality from stroke in the DHSS cohort, but not from any other major cause of death. In the Sheffield cohort, lower scores on tests of intelligence and verbal memory were more common in people with increased carotid intima-media thickness and in those whose degree of stenosis had progressed. There was some evidence that cognitive performance was worse in those with poorer antioxidant vitamin status, in particular vitamin C.
Elderly people who eat a diet rich in vitamin C and vitamin E may be able to reduce their risk of atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular disease. Such a diet may also provide some indirect protection against the vascular causes of cognitive decline in later life.
University of Southampton
1998
Gale, Catharine Rose
(1998)
Antioxidant vitamins, cerebrovascular disease and cognitive function in elderly people.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
In 1973-4, the Department of Health and Social Security carried out a nutritional survey of people aged 65 and over. Participants' cognitive function was assessed by a geriatrician. This cohort was followed up to determine the relation between vitamin C status, cognitive function and mortality from stroke or coronary heart disease. In 1993, a group of elderly people in Sheffield had an ultrasound scan of their carotid arteries and had their cognitive function assessed. Three years later, these examinations were repeated and plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins were measured. This cohort was used to investigate the interrelation between antioxidant vitamin status, carotid atherosclerosis and cognitive function.
Mortality from stroke in the DHSS cohort was highest in those with the poorest vitamin C status. Results from Sheffield showed that people with lower plasma vitamin C concentrations had more carotid sites affected by plaque. The DHSS survey did not collect data on vitamin E or β-carotene, but in the Sheffield cohort, people with lower cholesterol-adjusted vitamin E concentrations had increased carotid intima-media thickness, more sites affected by plaque and a greater degree of stenosis. By contrast, β-carotene concentrations were not related to any measure of carotid atherosclerosis.
Poorer performance on a simple test of cognitive function was associated with increased mortality from stroke in the DHSS cohort, but not from any other major cause of death. In the Sheffield cohort, lower scores on tests of intelligence and verbal memory were more common in people with increased carotid intima-media thickness and in those whose degree of stenosis had progressed. There was some evidence that cognitive performance was worse in those with poorer antioxidant vitamin status, in particular vitamin C.
Elderly people who eat a diet rich in vitamin C and vitamin E may be able to reduce their risk of atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular disease. Such a diet may also provide some indirect protection against the vascular causes of cognitive decline in later life.
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Published date: 1998
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Local EPrints ID: 463427
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/463427
PURE UUID: 92a8a124-f9a1-40dc-8874-b7a9822a9021
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 20:51
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 20:51
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Author:
Catharine Rose Gale
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