COHORT STUDY OF VITAMIN-C INTAKE AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

To test the hypothesis that vitamin C protects against cognitive impai rment, the authors conducted a cohort study (n = 117) in a retirement community in Sydney, Australia. Vitamin C intake was assessed at basel ine (1991) with a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, and c ognitive function was assessed 4 years later (1995). After adjustment for age, sex, smoking, education, total energy intake, and use of psyc hotropic medications, consumption of vitamin C supplements was associa ted with a lower prevalence of more severe cognitive impairment (based on scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination; adjusted odds ratio = 0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.18-0.84). There were no associations between vitamin C intake and scores on tests of verbal and category fl uency. This study suggests that vitamin C might protect against cognit ive impairment.