C-Reactive Protein, Homocysteine, And Cognitive Performance In Healthy Adults

C-REACTIVE PROTEIN, HOMOCYSTEINE, AND COGNITIVEPERFORMANCE IN HEALTHY ADULTSbyCHERYL L. DAHLEMay 2010Advisor: Dr. Naftali RazMajor: PsychologyDegree: Doctor of Philosophy Elevated blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine (Hcy) havereceived a great deal of attention as biomarkers for the development of cardiovascular disease. Their utility in predicting cognitive function has also been assessed, though the findings are equivocal. The current study examined the relationship between elevatedblood levels of CRP and Hcy and their effect on cognition across several cognitive domains. As baseline blood levels of CRP and Hcy and cognition are in part regulatedby genetic factors, the impact of T carrier status for variants in the CRP -286 C>T>Aand the MTHFR 677C>T alleles was also examined. In an exceptionally healthy aging population free of overt signs of cardiovascular disease, normal range elevations inblood levels of CRP or Hcy, either alone or in combination, were not associated with cognitive impairments in any domain. Moreover, T carriage for either SNP wasunrelated CRP or Hcy blood levels, and was only related to cognition in a task andsubpopulation specific manner. Namely, T carriers of the CRP gene had reduced processing speed, and among men, reduced ‘g’ performance. Whereas for the MTHFR gene, T carriage was associated with fewer prose items recalled among hypertensives.