Limited evidence of a shared genetic relationship between C-reactive protein levels and cognitive function in older UK adults of European ancestry

TY - JOUR

T1 - Limited evidence of a shared genetic relationship between C-reactive protein levels and cognitive function in older UK adults of European ancestry

AU - Packer, Amy

AU - Corbett, Anne

AU - Arathimos, Ryan

AU - Ballard, Clive

AU - Aarsland, Dag

AU - Hampshire, Adam

AU - Dima, Danai

AU - Creese, Byron

AU - Malanchini, Margherita

AU - Powell, Timothy R

N1 - Copyright © 2023 Packer, Corbett, Arathimos, Ballard, Aarsland, Hampshire, Dima, Creese, Malanchini and Powell.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have shown associations between cognitive function and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in older adults. Few studies have considered the extent to which a genetic predisposition for higher CRP levels contributes to this association.METHODS: Data was analyzed from 7,817 UK participants aged >50 years as part of the PROTECT study, within which adults without dementia completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. We constructed a polygenic risk score (PRS-CRP) that explained 9.61% of the variance in serum CRP levels (p = 2.362 × 10-7) in an independent cohort. Regressions were used to explore the relationship between PRS-CRP and cognitive outcomes.RESULTS: We found no significant associations between PRS-CRP and any cognitive measures in the sample overall. In older participants (>62 years), we observed a significant positive association between PRS-CRP and self-ordered search score (i.e., spatial working memory).CONCLUSION: Whilst our results indicate a weak positive relationship between PRS-CRP and spatial working memory that is specific to older adults, overall, there appears to be no strong effects of PRS-CRP on cognitive function.

AB - INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have shown associations between cognitive function and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in older adults. Few studies have considered the extent to which a genetic predisposition for higher CRP levels contributes to this association.METHODS: Data was analyzed from 7,817 UK participants aged >50 years as part of the PROTECT study, within which adults without dementia completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. We constructed a polygenic risk score (PRS-CRP) that explained 9.61% of the variance in serum CRP levels (p = 2.362 × 10-7) in an independent cohort. Regressions were used to explore the relationship between PRS-CRP and cognitive outcomes.RESULTS: We found no significant associations between PRS-CRP and any cognitive measures in the sample overall. In older participants (>62 years), we observed a significant positive association between PRS-CRP and self-ordered search score (i.e., spatial working memory).CONCLUSION: Whilst our results indicate a weak positive relationship between PRS-CRP and spatial working memory that is specific to older adults, overall, there appears to be no strong effects of PRS-CRP on cognitive function.

U2 - 10.3389/frdem.2023.1093223

DO - 10.3389/frdem.2023.1093223

M3 - Article

C2 - 39081969

SN - 2813-3919

VL - 2

SP - 1093223

JO - Frontiers in dementia

JF - Frontiers in dementia

ER -