Effect of Serum Albumin on Cognitive Function in Elderly Person

To examine the effect of serum albumin level on Cognitive function among healthy elderly population.

Cognitive impairment (CI) is associated with decreased memory function and/or other neuropsychological deficits, The important pathogenesis involved in cognitive impairment and dementia is oxidative injuries. Serum albumin constitutes the plasma's primary oxygen radical trapping and antioxidant defense, both against oxidizing agents generated endogenously and exogenous substances. Serum albumin plays a vital role in the binding of drugs; hormones, iron and free fatty acids, and reduced levels may contribute to cognitive impairment resulting from toxicity.

The subjects selected for the study were community dwelling elderly male in the age group of 60 -80 years, self supported in their activity of daily living and well matched for age, BMI, education level(Education in years) and socio-economic status. The study group was divided into two based upon their serum albumin level, Group 1(Normal serum albumin level) and Group II (Decreased serum albumin level). Albumin Assay was carried out by the DAX system which uses anionic dye, bromocresol green (BCG) which preferentially binds serum albumin at pH 4.2, this albumin-dye complex is determined spectrophotometrically.

Neuropsychological Assessment were carried out with Rey's Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) Rey's complex figure test (CFT) and Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) -digit and spatial span respectively.

Group I had significantly better scores on following variables; RAVLT: Total, Average, immediate recall and delayed recall scores; CFT: 3minutes and 30 minutes; WMS-spatial span-forward and backward compared to Group II.

The present study suggests that a lower serum albumin concentration in healthy elderly male was associated with cognitive impairment.