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CompletedNCT03631238Updated Aug 16, 2018

The Dual Impact of Homocysteine and Cholesterol on Cognitive Functions

An observational study in Hypercholesterolemia, Cognitive Dysfunction and Hyperhomocysteinemia, sponsored by Assiut University. Completed at 1 site in Egypt. Open to participants aged 55 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-08-16.

Sponsored by Assiut University · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
41
Ages
55 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The study evaluates if the relationship between total serum cholesterol is dependent on the total serum homocysteine. Fasting blood samples will taken from participants and two batteries of cognitive scales will be used to asses any cognitive decline.

Read the detailed description

The relationship between total serum cholesterol (TC) levels and cognition remains wily.

Some studies suggested that high TC level in old peoples is associated with a decreased risk of dementia.

Other studies have indicated that hypercholesterolemia may be a risk factor for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

But a recent study published in 2014 by Cheng and colleagues, showed that, an inverse U-shaped relationship between total cholesterol level and cognitive score was found only in participants with normal homocysteine levels. Indicating that both low and high total serum cholesterol were associated with lower cognitive scores, ended to the relationship between cholesterol levels and cognitive function depends upon homocysteine levels, suggesting an interactive role between cholesterol and homocysteine on cognitive function in the elderly peoples.

The effect of high serum homocysteine (HHcy) levels on cognition was overwhelming regardless of the serum cholesterol levels but in peoples with normal homocysteine levels, both low and high cholesterol levels may be detrimental to cognitive health.

02

Conditions studied

  • Hypercholesterolemia
  • Cognitive Dysfunction
  • Hyperhomocysteinemia

Keywords

  • Cholesterol
  • Dementia
  • Homocysteine
  • Cognitive dysfunctions
03

In context

Hypercholesterolemia

1,175 studies on the registry are indexed under Hypercholesterolemia; 93 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 41 is below the median of 1,000 across 144 observational studies indexed under Hypercholesterolemia.

Browse Hypercholesterolemia studies →

Lead sponsor

Assiut University is the lead sponsor of 5,078 studies on the registry; 2,178 are open to participants now.

Of its 14 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
55 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

The study included 41 participants, randomly selected from out-patient neurology and psychiatry clinics , Assiut University Hospital.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Fifty hundred participants
  • Participants are of both genders
  • Aged 55 years old and over.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patient with dementia.
  • Renal and hepatic impairment.
  • Parkinson's disease.
  • Cerebrovascular stroke.
  • Patient with chronic medical problems.
  • Patients on statins.
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Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
41 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No
Biospecimen retention
None retained

Groups and cohorts

  • Apparently normal participants

    Participants are not complaining from any cognitive decline are subjected to cognitive and cholesterol and homocysteine levels assessment.

    Diagnostic Test: Blood sampling for total cholesterol and homocysteine and cognitive assessment by psychometric tests.

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testBlood sampling for total cholesterol and homocysteine and cognitive assessment by psychometric tests.

    all participant are subjected to cognitive assessment by psychometric tests by using the arabic version of Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) and Memory Assessment Scale (MAS). Blood samples were collected in the morning using 10 mL yellow top (plain) Vacutainer tubes. Lipid profile (triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)) were measured by Assiut university labs using Cholesterol Kits and analyzed by COBAS Integra analyzer. Total cholesterol levels were calculated using the sum of the LDL and HDL plus one-fifth of triglyceride levels. Samples of serum homocysteine are collected, centrifuged to separate plasma within 30 minutes after venipuncture and stored in specialized container in the Department of Clinical Pathology at (-20◦C) temperature. Total homocysteine was measured by ELISA technique, Sinogen kits (Research Use Only) and Statfax-2100 microplate analyzer.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. correlations between serum total cholesterol and homocysteine levels and cognitive functions

    Blood samples were collected after an overnight fast by using 10 mL plain tubes. Lipid profile was measured by using Cholesterol Kits and analyzed by COBAS Integra analyzer. Total cholesterol levels were measured using the sum of the LDL and HDL plus one-fifth of triglyceride levels. Samples of serum homocysteine (Hcy) are stored in specialized container at (-20◦C) temperature. Total Hcy was measured by ELISA technique, Sinogen kits and Statfax-2100 micro-plate analyzer. Cognitive functions were measured by using the Arabic version of: the 30 points Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) and the Memory Assessment Scale (MAS) which consists of 12 subtests and the degree of 100 points. The mean of total MAS plus MMSE degrees is used (e.g., (100+30)/2=65 Points which is the maximum score). High, normal and low cholesterol level is compared to the mean of cognitive score only in participants with normal homocysteine levels (below 14 umol/l), higher levels of Hcy is excluded.

    Time frame: 1 hour

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Michael W Ameen
    Assiut, 71111, Egypt
08

References and documents

Publications

  • de Champlain J, Wu R, Girouard H, Karas M, EL Midaoui A, Laplante MA, Wu L. Oxidative stress in hypertension. Clin Exp Hypertens. 2004 Oct-Nov;26(7-8):593-601. doi: 10.1081/ceh-200031904. PubMed 15702613 ↗
  • Burns JM, Honea RA, Vidoni ED, Hutfles LJ, Brooks WM, Swerdlow RH. Insulin is differentially related to cognitive decline and atrophy in Alzheimer's disease and aging. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2012 Mar;1822(3):333-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2011.06.011. Epub 2011 Jul 1. PubMed 21745566 ↗
  • Cheng Y, Jin Y, Unverzagt FW, Su L, Yang L, Ma F, Hake AM, Kettler C, Chen C, Liu J, Bian J, Li P, Murrell JR, Hendrie HC, Gao S. The relationship between cholesterol and cognitive function is homocysteine-dependent. Clin Interv Aging. 2014 Oct 23;9:1823-9. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S64766. eCollection 2014. PubMed 25364240 ↗
  • Ansari R, Mahta A, Mallack E, Luo JJ. Hyperhomocysteinemia and neurologic disorders: a review. J Clin Neurol. 2014 Oct;10(4):281-8. doi: 10.3988/jcn.2014.10.4.281. Epub 2014 Oct 6. Erratum In: J Clin Neurol. 2015 Jan;11(1):106. doi: 10.3988/jcn.2015.11.1.106. PubMed 25324876 ↗
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Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Ran from Jan 2018 to primary completion in Jun 2018, 4 months.

Of 51 observational studies under Hypercholesterolemia, half reached primary completion within 34 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 22 and three quarters within 61. This study's 4 months is below that.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Aug 8, 2018
First posted
Aug 15, 2018
StartActual
Jan 15, 2018
Primary completionActual
Jun 1, 2018
CompletionActual
Aug 1, 2018
Last update
Aug 16, 2018
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 16, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03631238
Lead sponsor
Assiut University
Responsible party
MWAmeen (Principle Investigator, Assiut University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Aug 15, 2018
Start date
Jan 15, 2018
Primary completion
Jun 1, 2018
Completion
Aug 1, 2018
Last update
Aug 16, 2018

Study contacts

Nageh F El Gamal, MD
study chair · Assiut University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2018. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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