Association of Peripheral Lymphocyte Subsets with Cognitive Decline and Dementia: The Cardiovascular Health Study

Inflammatory biomarkers in plasma are associated with dementia. Thus, we examined the association of 18 types of peripheral immune cells, measured as proportions of their immune cell type, with cross-sectional measures of cognitive function, change in cognitive function over seven years, prevalent dementia, and time to death from dementia in 1,928 participants of the Cardiovascular Health Study, with mean age 80 years and 62% female. We did not identify any associations after accounting for multiple comparisons, though we identified marginal associations of peripheral regulatory T cells with cognitive decline and dementia.

Automated summary

This study examined the association between 18 types of peripheral immune cells and cognitive function in elderly participants. The results showed no significant associations after accounting for multiple comparisons, but there were marginal associations between peripheral regulatory T cells and cognitive decline and dementia.