The Metabolic Syndrome, Inflammation, and Risk of Cognitive Decline

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Abstract
Cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes have been hypothesized to play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) as well as in development of vascular dementia.1-4 The metabolic syndrome,5 a clustering of several commonly occurring disorders that include (1) abdominal obesity, (2) hypertriglyceridemia, (3) low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level, (4) hypertension, and (5) hyperglycemia, has not been specifically investigated as a risk factor for cognitive decline in elderly individuals. The metabolic syndrome may be a risk factor for cognitive decline because it summarizes the joint effects of these risk factors. As obesity and sedentary lifestyle rise in the United States, identification and explication of the role of these modifiable behaviors in increasing risk for developing deleterious outcomes such as cognitive impairment is critical. If the metabolic syndrome is associated with increased risk of developing cognitive impairment, then early identification and treatment of these individuals might offer avenues for disease course modification.