| Title | Central obesity, leptin and cognitive decline: the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2012 |
| Authors | A. Hazzouri, ZAl, Haan, MN, Whitmer, RA, Yaffe, K, Neuhaus, J |
| Journal | Dement Geriatr Cogn DisordDement Geriatr Cogn Disord |
| Volume | 33 |
| Pagination | 400-9 |
| ISBN Number | 1421-9824 (Electronic)<br/>1420-8008 (Linking) |
| Accession Number | 22814127 |
| Keywords | Adipose Tissue/metabolism, Aged, Aged, 80 and Over, Aging/ metabolism, Cognition Disorders/ metabolism, Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Leptin/ metabolism, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mexican Americans, Middle Aged, Obesity, Abdominal/ metabolism, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Waist Circumference |
| Abstract | BACKGROUND/AIMS: Central obesity is a risk factor for cognitive decline. Leptin is secreted by adipose tissue and has been associated with better cognitive function. Aging Mexican Americans have higher levels of obesity than non-Hispanic Whites, but no investigations examined the relationship between leptin and cognitive decline among them or the role of central obesity in this association. METHODS: We analyzed 1,480 dementia-free older Mexican Americans who were followed over 10 years. Cognitive function was assessed every 12-15 months with the Modified Mini Mental State Exam (3MSE) and the Spanish and English Verbal Learning Test (SEVLT). RESULTS: For females with a small waist circumference (=35 inches), an interquartile range difference in leptin was associated with 35% less 3MSE errors and 22% less decline in the SEVLT score over 10 years. For males with a small waist circumference (=40 inches), an interquartile range difference in leptin was associated with 44% less 3MSE errors and 30% less decline in the SEVLT score over 10 years. There was no association between leptin and cognitive decline among females or males with a large waist circumference. CONCLUSION: Leptin interacts with central obesity in shaping cognitive decline. Our findings provide valuable information about the effects of metabolic risk factors on cognitive function. |
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