Case-cohort study of plasma phospholipid fatty acid profiles, cognitive function, and risk of dementia: a secondary analysis in the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study

Background: Phospholipids are biomarkers of dietary fat intake and metabolism. linked to several cardiometabolic disorders. Few prospective studies have assessed plasma phospholipids in relation to dementia risk and cognitive function. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the association between a decrease in linoleic acid accompanied with an increase in other fatty acids and cognitive function and dementia risk. Methods: We conducted a case-cohort study nested within the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study. We included 1252 participants. 498 of whom who developed dementia during a mean of 5 y of follow-up. We measured 45 individual plasma phospholipids (as a percentage of total plasma phospholipid fatty acids) by GC and related these to Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE) scores at baseline and neurologist-adjudicated incidence of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease (AD). adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Results: Substitution of 1% of SFAs for 1% of linoleic acid, the predominant polyunsaturated n-6 (omega-6) fatty acid, was associated with higher risk of dementia (HR per 1% of SFAs instead of linoleic acid = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.07) and a 0.08 point lower 3MSE score at baseline (95% CI: -0.12, -0.03), signifying worse cognitive function. When compared with linoleic acid, we found no associations of total monounsaturated, n-3 polyunsaturated, or trans fatty acids with risk of dementia or AD. However, the substitution of 1% of the marine n-3 PUFA DHA for linoleic acid was associated with lower risk of dementia (HR = 0.86 per 1% of DHA instead of linoleic acid; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.96). These associations were not modified by apolipoprotein E genotype. mild cognitive impairment at baseline, age, or sex. Conclusions: Specific elements of diet may be associated with late-life dementia, a hypothesis that requires formal testing in randomized controlled trials and that represents a possible preventive intervention.

Automated summary

The study found that replacing saturated fatty acids with linoleic acid is associated with a higher risk of dementia and poorer cognitive function, while replacing marine n-3 PUFA DHA with linoleic acid is associated with a lower risk of dementia. These associations were not influenced by factors such as genetics, cognitive impairment, age, or gender.