Higher blood uric acid was associated with better scores in some cognitive domains
An observational evidence review found associations that varied by cognitive domain, study design, sex, and the studies included in each analysis.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Higher uric acid levels were associated with better performance in several cognitive domains, but the findings came from observational studies and varied across analyses. They do not show that raising uric acid improves cognition or prevents decline. Whether uric acid can reliably help predict future cognitive problems remains an open question.
Only subsets of eligible studies contributed to each analysis, and some findings depended on excluding a clinical population. This abstract-based account cannot assess adjustment for other factors or the consistency of cognitive measurements.
Study design changes the interpretation
Cross-sectional analyses linked higher uric acid with better overall cognition and learning and memory. Prospective evidence supported an association with attention. These designs address different timing questions and should not be treated as interchangeable evidence of protection.
The pattern was not uniform
Associations with executive function and language emerged in sensitivity analyses that excluded a study of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Patterns also differed between males and females, underscoring that the findings depend on the domain and population examined.
The original publication
Association between higher serum uric acid levels and cognitive function: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Rabbani MG, Alif SM, Zhou Z et al.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40795649
- Record checked
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