Journal of International Psychiatry

【Abstract】 Objective To explore the relationship between the levels of serum homocysteine (Hcy), serum cystatin C (Cys-C), serum uric acid (UA) and cognitive function in elderly patients with depression. Methods Sixty elderly patients with first depressive episode in accordance with the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) were randomly selected as the study group, and Forty healthy volunteers matched with the study group were recruited as the control group. Serum levels of Hcy, Cys-C and UA were detected at admission. Cognitive function was graded by MMSE and MoCA.Analyze the differences of serum Hcy, Cys-C and UA levels and cognitive function between the two groups , and the relationship between serum Hcy, Cys-C and UA levels and MMSE and MoCA scores in the study group . Results The levels of serum Hcy and Cys-C in the study group were higher than those in the control group (t=12.732, 4.135, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between UA and the control group (t=-0.265, P=0.791). The scores of MMSE and MoCA in the study group were lower than those in the control group (t=-5.643, -9.548; P < 0.01). The levels of Hcy and Cys-C in the study group were negatively correlated with the total scores of MMSE and MoCA (r=-0.690, -0.501, -0.301, -0.355, P < 0.05), respectively. There was no significant correlation between UA level and the total scores of MMSE and MoCA. Conclusion Elderly patients with depression have cognitive impairment. Hcy and Cys-C may be risk factors for cognitive impairment in elderly patients with depression.

Depressive episode; Homocysteine; Serum cystatin C; Uric acid; Cognitive function