The role of lipid metabolism in cognitive functions among individuals with mental disorders: a cross-sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12923/2353-8627/2025-0023Keywords:
cognitive functions, lipids, dyslipidemia, SMIAbstract
Introduction: Mental illnesses are frequently associated with metabolic dysregulation and chronic inflammation, which may exacerbates cognitive decline beyond typical aging processes. While the link between lipid profiles and brain health is welldocumented in the general population, this relationship remains complex and potentially non-linear in psychiatric patients due to the confounding effects of antipsychotic treatment and lifestyle factors.
Material and methods: The study was conducted among individuals with mental disorders in day support centers in Lublin and Łęczna. 91 participants with diagnoses F20, F25, F22, F31, F32, F40F48, F60F69 were included in final analyses. Biochemical data (TG, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C) were collected and cognitive functions were assessed using STMS, VFT and RAVLT.
Results: Dyslipidemia was identified in 79.1% of participants, with higher TG and TC concentrations observed in women than in men. Overall, elevated LDL-C levels were found in 55% of the participants, with no significant sex differences. While linear regression did not reveal significant associations, decision tree models (C&RT) showed that lower TG levels and aripiprazole treatment were the main predictors of better cognitive performance. However, these procognitive benefits were significantly moderated by body weight. In the SMI group, TG concentrations were higher than in the non-SMI group.
Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that the association between lipid profiles and cognition in psychiatric patients is nonlinear and highly dependent on metabolic and pharmacological moderators. While aripiprazole showed a potential precognitive effect, this benefit was significantly attenuated by obesity and dyslipidemia, highlighting the necessity of integrated metabolic monitoring and weight management to preserve cognitive health in this population.
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