Polymorphisms in the gene encoding 11B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1) and lifetime cognitive change

Abstract

A rare polymorphism in the gene encoding 11B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1: rs846911-C/A) has been associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. We tested the hypothesis that this and 2 other HSD11B1 polymorphisms (rs12086634-G/T and rs846910-A/G) were associated with lifetime cognitive change in humans. Subjects were 194 participants of the Scottish Mental Survey of 1932 who took the same well-validated mental test at age 11 and age 79. The subjects represented the highest and lowest quintiles with respect to cognitive decline between ages 11 and 79. Despite having non-significantly different IQs at age 11, by age 79 the groups had mean (S.D.) IQs of 80.3 (14.1) and 109.6 (9.1), respectively (p