April 1, 2025
An observational study published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry looks at LDL cholesterol levels, statins, and dementia risk.
Dr Francesco Tamagnini, Neurophysiologist at the Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading said:
“There is clearly more to the story of Alzheimer’s than we first thought. This paper looks at the correlation and potential causal relationship between high levels of ‘bad cholesterol’ and dementia risk. The results give a convincing argument for researchers to consider LDL cholesterol in addition to the classic approaches. Amyloid beta and hyperphosphorylated tau have, so far, been assumed to be the main cause of Alzheimer’s but that is an opinion that is now likely to fade.
“Recently, in collaboration with Dr Jon Rudge, my lab has looked into the idea that damage to the blood-brain barrier can lead to accumulation of LDL cholesterol in the brain and potentially alter the electrical activity of neurons. Alzheimer’s disease appears may be a complication caused by the accumulation of LDL in the brain. What we now need to find out is exactly how the high levels of lipids in the blood are causing Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.”
Dr Julia Dudley, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK says:
“High levels of LDL cholesterol were identified as a risk factor for dementia in last year’s Lancet Commission on dementia prevention. And other research has suggested that drugs known as statins, which are used to lower cholesterol levels in the blood, could reduce dementia risk.
“This large study looked at patient records for levels of LDL cholesterol and the risk of dementia. It also examined those patients who were on statins. It found that those people with lower LDL levels had a reduced risk of dementia. The use of statins seemed to offer a protective effect – even in those who already had cholesterol levels within a lower range.
“However, dementia risk is complex and influenced by many factors. Without a detailed picture of what’s going on in the brain we do not know if there is a direct link between lower cholesterol and reduced dementia risk. Clinical trials will be key to understand what effects statins might be having on disease processes in the brain.
“In the meantime, keeping our hearts healthy remains one of the most effective ways we can protect our brain health. If you have any concerns about your cholesterol levels, you should speak to your GP.”
‘Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and risk of incident dementia: a distributed network analysis using common data models’ by Minwoo Lee et al. was published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry at 23:30 UK time on Tuesday 1 April.
DOI:10.1136/jnnp-2024-334708
Declared interests
Dr Francesco Tamagnini: None
For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.