USF-LVHN SELECT

Extracellular microRNA and cognitive function in a prospective cohort of older men: The Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study.

Publication/Presentation Date

9-6-2022

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Aging-related cognitive decline is an early symptom of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and on its own can have substantial consequences on an individual's ability to perform important everyday functions. Despite increasing interest in the potential roles of extracellular microRNAs (miRNAs) in central nervous system (CNS) pathologies, there has been little research on extracellular miRNAs in early stages of cognitive decline. We leverage the longitudinal Normative Aging Study (NAS) cohort to investigate associations between plasma miRNAs and cognitive function among cognitively normal men.

METHODS: This study includes data from up to 530 NAS participants (median age: 71.0 years) collected from 1996 to 2013, with a total of 1,331 person-visits (equal to 2,471 years of follow up). Global cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Plasma miRNAs were profiled using small RNA sequencing. Associations of expression of 381 miRNAs with current cognitive function and rate of change in cognitive function were assessed using linear regression (

RESULTS: In adjusted models, levels of 2 plasma miRNAs were associated with higher MMSE scores (

CONCLUSIONS: Circulating miRNAs were associated with both cross-sectional cognitive function and rate of change in cognitive function among cognitively normal men. Further research is needed to elucidate the potential functions of these miRNAs in the CNS and investigate relationships with other neurological outcomes.

Volume

14

Issue

17

First Page

6859

Last Page

6886

ISSN

1945-4589

Disciplines

Medical Education | Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

36069796

Department(s)

USF-LVHN SELECT Program, USF-LVHN SELECT Program Students

Document Type

Article

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