Bosma, M.J. (2021) Endogenous Erythropoietin Levels and Iron Status in the General Population: Impact on Cognitive Functioning. thesis, Medicine.
Full text available on request.Abstract
A body of evidence suggests that Erythropoietin (EPO) has a neuroprotective and neurotropic potential in the brain. Similarly, iron is essential for brain development and functioning, but when out of balance, iron can be harmful as well. Because of these influences in the brain, it can be hypothesized that both EPO and iron levels have an effect on cognitive capability. Indeed, several studies suggest positive effects of administration of EPO on cognition and adverse effects when iron levels are out of balance. To date, this association is unclear in the general population. Therefore, we aimed to determine the association between endogenous EPO, iron levels, and cognition in the general population. 851 community-dwelling subjects of the third survey (2003-2006) of the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-Stage Disease (PREVEND) study were examined. The association of EPO, multiple iron status parameters, and several covariants with the scores on the Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT) and the Visual Association Test (VAT) were analysed. The two cognitive tests measure several aspects of executive functioning and memory, respectively. Our findings suggest that increasing levels of endogenous EPO are associated with a better performance on the RFFT, reflecting executive functions and capabilities like nonverbal fluency, planning, and task shifting. Serum iron status was not associated with cognition except for serum ferritin, of which we attribute its association to mechanisms unrelated to iron status. Future research should focus on a more comprehensive array of cognitive functioning, underlying mechanisms, and opportunities and obstacles of therapeutic options.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Bakker, Prof. dr. S. J. L. and Eisenga, Dr. M. F. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Dec 2021 14:07 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Dec 2021 14:07 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/2895 |
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