Elevated serum uric acid is associated with cognitive improvement in older American adults: A large, population-based-analysis of the NHANES database

Rulin Geng; Yu Zhang; Miao Liu; Shengfeng Deng; Jingwen Ding; Hongfei Zhong; Qiuyun Tu

doi:10.3389/fnagi.2022.1024415

Elevated serum uric acid is associated with cognitive improvement in older American adults: A large, population-based-analysis of the NHANES database

Front Aging Neurosci. 2022 Dec 8:14:1024415. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1024415. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Rulin Geng¹, Yu Zhang¹, Miao Liu¹, Shengfeng Deng¹, Jingwen Ding¹, Hongfei Zhong¹, Qiuyun Tu¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Geriatrics, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China.

Abstract

Background: The many studies revealing a connection between serum uric acid (SUA) and dementia have reported conflicting results. This study sought to investigate the relations between SUA and cognitive function in older adults.

Materials and methods: The sample was 2,767 American adults aged ≥60 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014. Cognitive performance was evaluated by the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease test, animal fluency test, digit symbol substitution test, and composite z-score. Multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to estimate the association between SUA and cognitive function.

Results: SUA level and cognitive function were significantly, positively correlated. Age significantly correlated with the association between SUA and cognitive function.

Conclusion: These findings support a connection between SUA and cognition, showing a positive link between SUA and cognitive scores among older American adults. We contend that a slight rise in uric acid within the normal range is advantageous for enhanced cognition. To confirm the precise dose-time-response relation, more tests will be needed.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; NHANES; cognitive function; dementia; serum uric acid.