Age-related macular degeneration and cognitive impairment show similarities in changes of neutral lipids in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

• Published in: Experimental eye research 2014-07, Vol.124, p.11-16
• Main Authors: Peiretti, Enrico, Mandas, Antonella, Abete, Claudia, Vinci, Michela, Piludu, Stefania, Casu, Maura, Caminiti, Giulia, Dessì, Sandra, Fossarello, Maurizio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: age-related macular degeneration; Aged; cholesterol-ester; Cognitive Dysfunction - blood; Cognitive Dysfunction - epidemiology; Cognitive Dysfunction - etiology; cognitive impairment; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Incidence; Italy - epidemiology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; Lipids - blood; Macular Degeneration - blood; Macular Degeneration - complications; Macular Degeneration - epidemiology; Male; Retrospective Studies
• ISSN: 0014-4835; 1096-0007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2014.04.017

Starting from previous studies showing that patients with cognitive deficit present neutral lipids (NLs) accumulation in cytoplasm of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and considering that there is epidemiological evidence linking age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to cognitive deficit, the first purpose of this study was to test whether neutral lipids also accumulated in PBMCs from AMD subjects. Moreover, the impact of statin use on AMD was explored and whether such use in AMD subjects was associated with NLs accumulation in PBMCs. The study was conducted on 222 subjects: 136 AMD (36 of which – 26.5% – using statins], 48 cognitive deficit (20 of which – 41.7% – using statins) and 38 healthy controls (4 of which −10.1% – using statins), AMD lesions were assessed from color fundus photographs. Mini-mental state examination (MMSE), demographics, lifestyle factors and medical history were collected at interview. MMSE score was categorized as normal (24–30), and impaired (