Metabolites and Cognitive Decline in a Puerto Rican Cohort

Abstract

Background: Recent studies have identified plasma metabolites associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease; however, little research on this topic has been conducted in Latinos, especially Puerto Ricans. Objective: This study aims to add to the growing body of metabolomics research in Latinos to better understand and improve the health of this population. Methods: We assessed the association between plasma metabolites and global cognition over 12 years of follow-up in 736 participants of the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (BPRHS). Metabolites were measured with untargeted metabolomic profiling (Metabolon, Inc) at baseline. We used covariable adjusted linear mixed models (LMM) with a metabolite * time interaction term to identify metabolites (of 621 measured) associated with ∼12 years cognitive trajectory. Results: We observed strong inverse associations between medium-chain fatty acids, caproic acid, and the dicarboxylic acids, azelaic and sebacic acid, and global cognition. N-formylphenylalanine, a tyrosine pathway metabolite, was associated with improvement in cognitive trajectory. Conclusions: The metabolites identified in this study are generally consistent with prior literature and highlight a role medium chain fatty acid and tyrosine metabolism in cognitive decline.