One-Carbon Metabolism and Cognitive Impairment in a Korean Community Population

Objective：Dysregulation in one-carbon metabolism has been associated with cognitive impairment in western studies. However there has been no previous Korean study on this issue. This study aimed to investigate the associations between the major components of the one-carbon metabolism and cognitive impairment in a Korean community population. Methods：732 people aged 65 or over were recruited. Serum levels of folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine were assayed. Cognitive function was measured by Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K), and cognitive impairment was defined as MMSE-K≤20. Potential confounding/mediating factors were formally assessed: demographic data, disability, depression, alcohol comsumption, physical activity, vascular risk factors, and serum creatinine level. Results：Cognitive impairment was significantly associated with lower folate and higher homocysteine levels independent of confounding or mediating factors, while the association with vitamin B12 was not. Conclusions：The present findings support the role for folate and homocysteine in the etiology of cognitive impairment in Korean elders as well.