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Martha Clare Morris, ScD; Denis A. Evans, MD; Christine C. Tangney, PhD; Julia L. Bienias, ScD; Julie A. Schneider, MD; Robert S. Wilson, PhD; Paul A. Scherr, ScD, PhD

Arch Neurol. 2006;63:1085-1088.

Background  Evidence from prospective epidemiologic studies and animal models suggests that intakes of dietary fats and copper may be associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

Objective  To examine whether high dietary copper intake is associated with increased cognitive decline among persons who also consume a diet high in saturated and trans fats.

Design  Community-based prospective study.

Setting  Chicago, Ill.

Patients  Chicago residents 65 years and older.

Main Outcome Measures  Cognitive function was assessed using 4 cognitive tests administered during in-home interviews at 3-year intervals for 6 years. Dietary assessment was performed with a food frequency questionnaire. Dietary intakes of copper and fats were related to change in global cognitive score (the mean of the 4 tests) among 3718 participants.

Results  Among persons whose diets were high in saturated and trans fats, higher copper intake was associated with a faster rate of cognitive decline. In multiple-adjusted mixed models, the difference in rates for persons in the highest (median, 2.75 mg/d) vs lowest (median, 0.88 mg/d) quintiles of total copper intake was –6.14 standardized units per year (P<.001) or the equivalent of 19 more years of age. There was also a marginally statistically significant association (P = .07) with the highest quintile of food intake of copper (median, 1.51 mg/d) and a strong dose-response association with higher copper dose in vitamin supplements. Copper intake was not associated with cognitive change among persons whose diets were not high in these fats.

Conclusion  These data suggest that high dietary intake of copper in conjunction with a diet high in saturated and trans fats may be associated with accelerated cognitive decline.

Author Affiliations: Rush Institute for Healthy Aging (Drs Morris, Evans, and Bienias), Departments of Internal Medicine (Drs Morris, Evans, and Bienias), Preventive Medicine (Dr Morris), Clinical Nutrition (Dr Tangney), Neurological Sciences (Drs Schneider and Wilson), and Psychology (Dr Wilson), and Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center (Drs Schneider and Wilson), Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Ill; and Division of Adult and Community Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga (Dr Scherr).

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