Metabolic Syndrome Status Changes and Cognitive Functioning: Insights from the Lifelines Cohort Study

Background

Metabolic syndrome is associated with increased risk of dementia. Yet, findings on how longitudinal development of metabolic syndrome status affects cognition remain controversial.

Objectives

This study examines whether individuals with different changes in metabolic syndrome status differ in cognitive functioning. Additionally, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome within the Lifelines population-based study is investigated.

Design

14609 Lifelines participants (mean age 60.8, 56.4% women) were divided into four groups based on their metabolic syndrome status changes between 2007–2013 (1) and between 2014–2017 (2): without metabolic syndrome (N=10863; absent at 1 and 2), de novo metabolic syndrome (N=1340; absent at 1 and present at 2), remitting metabolic syndrome (N=825; present at 1 and absent at 2), and persistent metabolic syndrome (N=1581; present at 1 and 2). ANCOVA models were employed to assess group differences in psychomotor function, visual attention, visual learning, and working memory assessed using the Cogstate Brief Battery.

Results

Accounting for education, age, sex, and time between examinations, groups did not statistically differ in any of the four cognitive outcomes. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome within the Lifelines population increased with age and differed among men and women.

Conclusion

Performance in psychomotor function, visual attention, visual learning, and working memory measured by the Cogstate Brief Battery did not differ between individuals with different changes in metabolic syndrome. The length of metabolic syndrome exposure was unknown, making our results exploratory and calling for future studies addressing this gap.