IJERPH, Vol. 16, Pages 4560: Links between Cognitive Status and Trace Element Levels in Hair for an Environmentally Exposed Population: A Case Study in the Surroundings of the Estarreja Industrial Area

IJERPH, Vol. 16, Pages 4560: Links between Cognitive Status and Trace Element Levels in Hair for an Environmentally Exposed Population: A Case Study in the Surroundings of the Estarreja Industrial Area International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph16224560 Authors: Marina M. S. Cabral Pinto Paula Marinho-Reis Agostinho Almeida Edgar Pinto Orquídia Neves Manuela Inácio Bianca Gerardo Sandra Freitas Mário R. Simões Pedro A. Dinis Luísa Diniz Eduardo Ferreira da Silva Paula I. Moreira In the present study, trace elements (TE) levels were evaluated in scalp hair along the continuum from healthy subjects (HS) to patients suffering from subjective memory concerns (SMC), and/or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and those with already installed dementia (DEM) in order to: (i) assess the effects of environmental and lifestyle factors on TE concentrations and (ii) evaluate the analyzed elements as possible diagnostic biomarkers for the disease. The study involved 79 mainly permanent residents, >55 years old, from the city of Estarreja (northern Portugal), a former industrial area. The health status of the participants was assessed by means of a complete socio-demographic questionnaire and through cognitive screening tests, namely the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The test scores were categorized and used in the statistical analysis. Hair samples were collected and analyzed by inductively coupl...
Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research