1. Home>
2. Specialties>
3. Psychiatry>
4. Summary and Comment

Vitamins, Dementia, and Cognitive Function

How well do vitamins C and E protect against dementia? To investigate this question, researchers used data from the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study, which in 1965 began to study 8006 Japanese-American males living in Hawaii. The researchers compared dementia and cognitive function in a subsample of 3385 men (age range,71 to 93) who had reported using vitamins C and E during a 1988 survey with that of the entire sample, who participated in a dementia prevalence survey from 1991 to 1993.

Participants who used both vitamin supplements had dramatically reduced rates of vascular dementia (88% reduction in frequency), but not Alzheimer's disease, compared with the entire sample. A smaller, but still significant, decrease in frequency was also noted for mixed dementia. The use of supplements in the subsample had no significant effect on the incidence of stroke. Among those without dementia, use of either vitamin C or E in 1988 was associated with significantly better cognitive performance in 1991 to 1993.

Comment: One could speculate that the demonstrated antioxidant effect of vitamins C and E might limit the extent of damage after a stroke, although not its frequency. Even though the study did not ascertain the exact amounts of vitamins C and E taken by each participant, it provides strong population-based data from a cohort with excellent participation rates that has been under medical surveillance for 25 years.

— G Tucker

Published in Journal Watch Psychiatry May 1, 2000

Citation(s):

Masaki KH et al. Association of vitamin E and C supplement use with cognitive function and dementia in elderly men. Neurology 2000 Mar 28 54 1265-1271.

• Original article (Subscription may be required)
• Medline abstract (Free)