The Relationship Between Dietary Intake of Choline, Choline Serum Levels, and Cognitive Function in Healthy Elderly Persons

This study was designed to obtain information on normal dietary intake and serum levels of choline in a healthy elderly population and to observe the relationship between blood levels of choline and cognitive function. Two hundred fifty‐eight healthy volunteers with a mean age of 72 years were recruited, and blood samples and dietary histories were obtained. All subjects were ambulatory, living at home, free of serious medical illnesses, and taking no prescription medications. Cognitive abilities were assessed by the Halstead Category Test, a nonverbal test measuring abstract thinking, and the Wechsler Memory Scale, using the multiple scoring method, which measures both long‐ and short‐term memory. The mean value for serum choline was 13.16 μm with a standard deviation of 3.31. Serum choline levels were found to increase with age, but no difference was found between serum choline levels for men and women. There was no association between dietary intake and serum choline levels, nor could a relationship be found between serum choline levels and cognitive function. 1984 The American Geriatrics Society