09/14/2009 - News
High Cholesterol Linked to Risk for Alzheimer’s
By: June Chen, MD
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Elevated levels of cholesterol in middle age are strongly associated with the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, according to new research published online August 4, 2009 in the journal Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders.
Researchers used data from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Medical Group in order to investigate the relationship between midlife cholesterol level and Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia, another type of cognitive disorder. The study included 9844 men and women who underwent detailed health evaluations between 1964 and 1973, when they were 40 to 45 years of age. Among these study participants, 469 eventually developed Alzheimer’s disease and 127 developed vascular dementia. The researchers found that even moderately elevated, or borderline, total cholesterol levels of 200 to 239 mg/dL increased the risk of dementia. Cholesterol levels of at least 220 mg/dL were found to be a significant risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
Although prior studies have shown a link between elevated cholesterol and dementia, this study is the largest of its kind to date. The scientists pointed out that their findings emphasize the fact that Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia have more in common than was previously believed. They also stress that risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias need to be addressed as early as midlife, before any underlying diseases or symptoms appear. Further studies are needed to investigate the effect of cholesterol-lowering drugs on the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Source:
Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2009;28:75-80. Published online August 4, 2009.
Created on: 08/17/2009
Reviewed on: 09/14/2009
Reviewed on: 09/14/2009
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