Vitamin E Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vitamin E, including details on benefits, dosage, supplements, antioxidants.

Vitamin E levels, cognitive impairment and dementia in older persons: the InCHIANTI study.

Cherubini A, Martin A, Andres-Lacueva C, Di Iorio A, Lamponi M, Mecocci P, Bartali B, Corsi A, Senin U, Ferrucci L

Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, University of Perugia Medical School, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, via Brunamonti, Policlinico Monteluce, Padiglione E, Perugia 06122, Italy. acherub@unipg.it

There is conflicting evidence that antioxidants contribute to maintaining cognitive function in elderly subjects. We investigated whether vitamin E plasma levels are related to the presence of dementia and cognitive impairment in a population-based cohort study conducted in Italy. A total of 1033 participants aged at least 65 years received clinical and neuropsychological examinations, donated blood for vitamin E analysis and had their diets assessed. Participants with plasma vitamin E levels in the bottom tertile had a significantly higher probability of being demented (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.0-7.1) and also of suffering from cognitive impairment (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2-4.2) compared to those in the highest vitamin E tertile after adjustment for age, gender, education, lipid levels, energy intake, vitamin E intake, and smoking. This study supports the notion that higher vitamin E plasma levels might provide significant protection against cognitive impairment and dementia in elderly subjects.

Published 7 March 2005 in Neurobiol Aging, 26(7): 987-94.
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