19 Mar COPD and Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Michelle M. Mielke, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Health Sciences Research, Division of Epidemiology
Department of Neurology
Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN 55905
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Mielke: Using a population-based sample of cognitively normal individuals, aged 70-89 at baseline, we found that a medical-record confirmed diagnosis of COPD was associated with an increased risk of mild cognitive impairment, specifically non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment. The risk of mild cognitive impairment increased with a longer duration of COPD such that individuals who had COPD for more than 5 years had a 2.5-fold increased risk of developing non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment.
MedicalResearch.com: Were any of the findings unexpected?
Dr. Mielke: Two cross-sectional studies reported a higher frequency of COPD among individuals with MCI (Singh et al., 2013; Villeneuve et al., 2012). However, only one longitudinal study had been previously conducted. This study, among a population-based sample with medical-record confirmed diagnoses of COPD, provides further evidence that COPD is associated with MCI. Specifically, in the present study, we found that COPD was primarily associated with the non-amnestic type of mild cognitive impairment.
MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Mielke: It is important to aggressively treat COPD early, in an effort to prevent or delay the onset of mild cognitive impairment. It is also important to regularly assess cognitive function among people who have COPD.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Mielke: This research further suggests that COPD is associated with risk of mild cognitive impairment, specifically non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment. A next step is to understand the mechanisms by which COPD increases the risk of mild cognitive impairment.
Citation:
Last Updated on March 19, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD