- A new study of older adults found a link between extreme levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and a small increase in dementia risk later in life.
- The research tracked more than 184,000 adults for 17 years and found both high and low HDL cholesterol was associated with greater odds of developing dementia compared to middle-range levels.
- However, no clear associations emerged between “bad” LDL cholesterol and dementia except in statin users, suggesting complex relationships between cholesterol and cognitive decline.
New research, published today in the journal Neurology, reports that high levels as well as low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol were associated with a higher risk of developing dementia.
The study involved more than 184,000 participants with an average of 70 years who were followed for 17 years.
The researchers were seeking to understand the relationship between two types of cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C, and the likelihood of developing dementia in older age.
While there have been some studies on this topic, not many have considered the influence of statin medications or examined the possibility of more complex associations.
The researchers explored these connections using extensive data from both survey responses and electronic health records.
The study subjects were members of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan who were 55 or older.
These members had taken a health survey between 2002 and 2007, did not have dementia before the survey, and had their cholesterol measured within two years after the survey.
The research team tracked these members until December 2020 to see if they developed dementia.
They used specific methods and models to understand the data, ensuring they considered various factors such as demographics and medications.
The researchers said the findings showed that both very low and very high levels of…
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