Asian flush gene variant increases mild cognitive impairment risk: a cross-sectional study of the Yoshinogari Brain MRI Checkup Cohort
Abstract
Background The East Asian-specific genetic diversity, the rs671 variant of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, causes the “Asian flush” phenomenon following alcohol consumption, resulting in an alcohol avoidance phenotype. The variant is suggested as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease; however, its association with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an effective target for secondary prevention of dementia, remains unclear. Method This cross-sectional study examined 430 individuals aged 60–80 years (251 women) without overt cognitive impairment in Yoshinogari, Japan. The effect of the rs671 variant on MCI, defined by scores <26 or <25 on the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression. Results The models included APOEε4, sex, age, education, history of habitual drinking, Brinkman index, hypertension, diabetes, and subclinical magnetic resonance imaging findings and consistently estimated the risk of the rs671 variant. Subsequently, stratified analyses by history of habitual drinking were performed based on an interactive effect between rs671 and alcohol consumption, and the rs671 variant significantly influenced MCI in participants who did not drink habitually, with odds ratios ranging from 1.9 to 2.1 before and after adjusting for covariates, suggesting an association independent of hippocampal atrophy and small vessel dysfunction. Conversely, no such association with the rs671 variant was observed in participants with a…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 430 participants or records.
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