Association between Metabolic Syndrome and Cognitive Function: A Cross-sectional Study among Adults Attending a Tertiary Care Center in Tamil Nadu

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors including central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia, has been associated with various adverse health outcomes.Emerging evidence suggests a potential link between MetS and cognitive decline, though findings remain inconsistent.Aim: To assess the association between MetS and cognitive function among adults attending a tertiary care center.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted from June to August 2023 at the noncommunicable disease (NCD) clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Tamil Nadu.A total of 200 participants aged above 45 years were recruited using consecutive sampling.MetS was diagnosed using the revised NCEP ATP III criteria.Cognitive function was assessed using the Tamil-translated Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), with thresholds adjusted for education.Data were analyzed using SPSS v26.0, and comparisons were made using independent t-tests.Results: The mean age of participants was 55.21 years, with a slight male predominance (54.5 %).MetS was present in 78% of participants.The mean MMSE score was 22.55 ± 3.90 in those with MetS and 23.39 ± 4.18 in those without MetS, with no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05).No significant differences were found across MMSE subcomponents either.Conclusion: This study did not find a statistically significant association between MetS and cognitive function using MMSE.However, given the complexity of this relationship, further research using sensitive cognitive assessments and longitudinal designs is recommended.