TY - JOUR
T1 - The association of betaine, homocysteine and related metabolites with cognitive function in Dutch elderly people
AU - Eussen, S.J.P.M.
AU - Ueland, P.M.
AU - Clarke, R.
AU - Blom, H.J.
AU - Hoefnagels, W.H.L.
AU - van Staveren, W.A.
AU - de Groot, C.P.G.M.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - The importance of the one-carbon metabolites, choline and homocysteine, to brain function is well known. However, the associations between the one-carbon metabolites choline, betaine, methionine and dimethylglycine with cognition in elderly are unclear. We therefore examined the associations of these metabolites with cognition in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Individuals (n 195) were randomized to receive daily oral capsules with either 1000 ¿g cobalamin (vitamin B12), or 1000 ¿g cobalamin plus 400 ¿g folic acid, or placebo for 24 weeks. Concentrations of homocysteine, methionine, choline, betaine and dimethylglycine were assessed before and after 12 and 24 weeks of treatment. Cognitive function, including domains of attention, construction, sensomotor speed, memory and executive function, was assessed before and after 24 weeks of treatment. At baseline, elevated plasma homocysteine was associated with lower performance of attention, construction, sensomotor speed and executive function. In addition, betaine was positively associated with better performance of construction, sensomotor speed and executive function, whereas elevated concentrations of methionine were positively associated with sensomotor speed. Daily combined supplementation with cobalamin plus folic acid decreased total homocysteine concentrations by 36 %, and increased betaine concentrations by 38 %. Participants with the largest increases in betaine concentrations showed a borderline significant (P = 0·07) higher memory performance compared to those without it. Although this trial observed associations of homocysteine and betaine with cognitive domains prior to supplementation, decreased concentrations of homocysteine were not related to improved cognitive performance. There was a tendency of participants with the largest increases in betaine concentrations to show the greatest improvement in memory function.
AB - The importance of the one-carbon metabolites, choline and homocysteine, to brain function is well known. However, the associations between the one-carbon metabolites choline, betaine, methionine and dimethylglycine with cognition in elderly are unclear. We therefore examined the associations of these metabolites with cognition in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Individuals (n 195) were randomized to receive daily oral capsules with either 1000 ¿g cobalamin (vitamin B12), or 1000 ¿g cobalamin plus 400 ¿g folic acid, or placebo for 24 weeks. Concentrations of homocysteine, methionine, choline, betaine and dimethylglycine were assessed before and after 12 and 24 weeks of treatment. Cognitive function, including domains of attention, construction, sensomotor speed, memory and executive function, was assessed before and after 24 weeks of treatment. At baseline, elevated plasma homocysteine was associated with lower performance of attention, construction, sensomotor speed and executive function. In addition, betaine was positively associated with better performance of construction, sensomotor speed and executive function, whereas elevated concentrations of methionine were positively associated with sensomotor speed. Daily combined supplementation with cobalamin plus folic acid decreased total homocysteine concentrations by 36 %, and increased betaine concentrations by 38 %. Participants with the largest increases in betaine concentrations showed a borderline significant (P = 0·07) higher memory performance compared to those without it. Although this trial observed associations of homocysteine and betaine with cognitive domains prior to supplementation, decreased concentrations of homocysteine were not related to improved cognitive performance. There was a tendency of participants with the largest increases in betaine concentrations to show the greatest improvement in memory function.
KW - folic-acid supplementation
KW - mini-mental-state
KW - controlled-trial
KW - vitamin-b-12 deficiency
KW - mass-spectrometry
KW - choline
KW - older
KW - disease
KW - plasma
KW - interference
U2 - 10.1017/S0007114507750912
DO - 10.1017/S0007114507750912
M3 - Article
SN - 0007-1145
VL - 98
SP - 960
EP - 968
JO - British Journal of Nutrition
JF - British Journal of Nutrition
IS - 5
ER -