SJPM Eussen a, M Ferry b, I Hininger c, J Haller d, C Matthys e, H Dirren f

a. Wageningen University. Division of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology, Wageningen, the Netherlands
b. Centre Hospitalier de Valence, Valence, France
c. Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France
d. F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
e. Ghent State University, Ghent, Belgium
f. Nestlé Research Centre, Nestec Ltd, Lausanne, Switzerland

Correspondence to: Simone Eussen
Wageningen University, Division of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology
P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV Wageningen (Location: John Snow House, Dreijenlaan 1)
Telephone: +31 (317) 485 299. Fax: +31 (317) 482 782. Email: Simone.Eussen@staff.nutepi.wau.nl

Objective: To describe 5-year changes of mental health in SENECA participants, and to examine whether mental health is associated with the status of vitamin B12 and folate.
Design: A longitudinal, multicenter study with a repeated measurement design including a baseline study, a follow-up study, and a finale study.
Subjects: Subjects born between 1913 and 1918 were randomly selected in 11 European towns. Of the 1099 enrolled subjects in the follow up study, 586 participated in the finale study.
Intervention: Mental status was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE, cognitive decline defined as MMSE<23) and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS, depression defined as GDS>5).
Results: Mean overall MMSE score was 26.1 for men and 25.6 for women. Approximately 10% of the population in five towns had MMSE scores below 23 points. Mean overall GDS score was 3.1 for men and 4.1 for women. Approximately 10% of the population in eight towns had GDS scores above 5 points. No significant correlations have been observed between mental health and vitamin B12/folate status.
Conclusion: Mental health of the majority of the SENECA participants remained intact. Moreover, no significant changes in mental health have been found compared to the follow up study. In contrast to the follow up study, no associations between mental health and vitamin B12/folate status were emerged.

Keywords: elderly, Europe, mental health, B-vitamins, longitudinal