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Review
. 2016 Aug 30;2(3):182-191.
doi: 10.1016/j.trci.2016.08.002. eCollection 2016 Sep.

Vitamin E family: Role in the pathogenesis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Virginia Boccardi  1 , Marta Baroni  1 , Francesca Mangialasche  2 , Patrizia Mecocci  1
Affiliations
Review

Vitamin E family: Role in the pathogenesis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Virginia Boccardi et al. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). .

Abstract

Introduction: Vitamin E family, composed by tocopherols and tocotrienols, is a group of compounds with neuroprotective properties. The exact role in the pathogenesis and the benefit of vitamin E as treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD) are still under debate.

Methods: A literature search in PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane databases has been carried out. All types of studies, from bench and animal models to clinical, were included.

Results: High plasma vitamin E levels are associated with better cognitive performance, even if clear evidence of their ability to prevent or delay cognitive decline in AD is still lacking. Each vitamin E form is functionally unique and shows specific biological functions. Tocotrienols seem to have superior antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties compared with tocopherols.

Discussion: The benefit of vitamin E as a treatment for AD is still under debate, mainly because of the inconsistent findings from observational studies and the methodological limitations of clinical trials.

Keywords: Aging; Alzheimer's disease; Antioxidant; Cognition; Mild cognitive impairment; Supplementation; Treatment; Vitamin E.

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