Abstract
Antioxidants like vitamins C and E may minimize the risk for Alzheimer's disease. We conducted a
population-based prospective study with Japanese residents aged 65 years and over in Nakajima, Japan.
The participants received cognitive function test and underwent blood tests including examination of
vitamins C and E concentrations and apolipoprotein E (APOE) phenotypes. Of participants whose cognitive
function was determined to be normal at a baseline survey (2007-2008), 349 participants completed the
follow up survey between 2014 and 2016. In women with APOE E4, the multivariate odds ratio (OR) for
the risk of cognitive decline [the onset of dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI)] in the group of
the highest blood vitamin C concentration tertile at baseline was 0.10 (95% CI 0.01-0.93) when compared
with the group of the lowest blood vitamin C concentration tertile at baseline. In men without APOE E4, the
multivariate OR for the risk of cognitive decline in the group of the highest blood vitamin E concentration
tertile at baseline was 0.19 (95% CI 0.05-0.74) when compared with the group of the lowest blood vitamin
E concentration tertile at baseline. Our results demonstrated that higher blood vitamin C concentrations
were associated with risk reduction of dementia and MCI in women with APOE E4, and that higher blood
vitamin E concentration were associated with risk reduction of dementia and MCI in men without APOE
E4.
