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Hypercholesterolemia in elders is associated with slower cognitive decline: a prospective, population-based study
Julián Benito-León1, Saturio Vega-Quiroga2, Alberto Villarejo-Galende1
1Department of Neurology, University Hospital "12 de Octubre", Madrid, Spain; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain.
Journal of the Neurological Sciences
|February 24, 2015
Summary
Hypercholesterolemia in elderly individuals was associated with slower cognitive decline. This study suggests high cholesterol may protect against rapid cognitive impairment in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Cardiovascular Health
Background:
- Conflicting research exists on hypercholesterolemia's impact on cognitive decline in the elderly.
- This study investigated the association in a prospective, population-based cohort.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if hypercholesterolemia is linked to a slower rate of cognitive decline in older adults.
- To analyze cognitive changes over a three-year period in relation to cholesterol levels.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 2015 elderly participants (average age 72.9 years) was assessed at baseline and after 3 years.
- Hypercholesterolemia was defined as total cholesterol >200mg/dl or use of lipid-lowering drugs.
- Cognitive function was measured using a 37-item version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (37-MMSE).
Main Results:
- Hypercholesterolemic participants (n=1166) showed a slower decline in 37-MMSE scores (0.3 points) compared to non-hypercholesterolemic participants (n=849) (0.7 points) over 3 years (p=0.007).
- The rate of cognitive decline was significantly slower in the hypercholesterolemic group (0.1 points/year) versus the non-hypercholesterolemic group (0.2 points/year) (p=0.028).
- These findings remained robust after adjusting for baseline age and other potential confounders.
Conclusions:
- In this prospective study, hypercholesterolemic elders exhibited a slower rate of cognitive decline than their non-hypercholesterolemic counterparts.
- Further research is warranted to validate these unexpected findings regarding cholesterol and cognitive aging.