Dement Neurocogn Disord.  2022 Jan;21(1):30-41. 10.12779/dnd.2022.21.1.30.

Association Between Body Mass Index and Cognitive Function in Mild Cognitive Impairment Regardless of APOE ε4 Status

• Mun YS
• Park HK
• Kim J
• Yeom J
• Kim GH
• Chun MY
• Lee HA
• Yoon SJ
• Park KW
• Kim EJ
• Yoon B
• Jang JW
• Hong JY
• Choi SH
• Jeong JH

• KMID: 2525554
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12779/dnd.2022.21.1.30

Abstract

Background and Purpose
In this study we aimed to find the association between neuropsychological performance and body mass index (BMI) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In addition, we investigated the effects of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype in the relationship between the BMI and cognition in MCI.
Methods
We enrolled a cohort of 3,038 subjects with MCI aged 65–90 from the Clinical Research Center for Dementia of South Korea and a dementia cohort of the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. MCI patients were classified into three subgroups according to the Asian standard of BMI. We compared cognitive performances between groups by one-way analysis of variance. To investigate the effects of the APOE genotype, we used multivariate linear regression models after adjusting for possible confounders.
Results
Even though normal BMI groups were younger, had more females, and had less comorbidities, the higher BMI groups had better cognitive functions. Among subjects with APOE ε4 carriers, there was a positive relationship between the BMI and the memory task alone.
Conclusions
Our findings suggested that higher BMI in patients with MCI were associated with better cognitive performance. The effects of the APOE ε4 genotype in the associations between BMI and cognition were distinguishing. Therefore, according to physical status, APOE ε4 genotype-specific strategies in the assessments and treatments may be necessary in elderly patients with MCI.

Keyword

Body Mass Index; Apolipoprotein E; Cognitive Function; Mild Cognitive Impairment