Reduce Uric Acid For Better Brains
Most gout sufferers try to reduce uric acid to lower the risk of acute gout attacks. New research suggests that there may be another reason – improving brain performance.
Serum Uric Acid and Cognitive Function in Community-Dwelling Older Adults looks at 96 men and women with normal uric acid levels. The study excludes people who are taking medications to reduce uric acid. Normal levels include men with up to 7.6 mg/dL and women up to 7.1 mg/dL. Of this group, the top 25% (men with uric acid levels between 5.8 and 7.6 mg/dL and women between 4.8 and 7.1 mg/dL) are classed as having high uric acid levels.
The chart above shows the percentage of people who performed worst in a number of tests. The data is taken from the following table:
| Skill | Low Uric Acid | High Uric Acid |
|---|---|---|
| General verbal | 23% | 32% |
| General visuospatial | 21% | 36% |
| Processing speed | 16% | 52% |
| Working memory | 18% | 44% |
| Verbal memory | 20% | 40% |
| Visual memory | 25% | 16% |
| Verbal fluency | 25% | 24% |
The authors point out that nobody knows how uric acid levels and brain function are linked. It might be that high uric acid levels and reduced brain function have a common cause. The authors recommend further studies to see if medications to reduce uric acid result in corresponding brain function improvement.