High cholesterol in midlife ‘ups late-life dementia risk’
August 5th, 2009 - 2:26 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Aug 5 (ANI): Increased cholesterol levels in midlife significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia later in life, says a new study.
The study by researchers at Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research and the University of Kuopio in Finland appears in the journal Dementia & Geriatric Cognitive Disorders.
The four-decade study of 9,844 men and women found that having high cholesterol in midlife (240 or higher milligrams per deciliter of blood) increases, by 66 percent, the risk for Alzheimer’s disease later in life.
Even borderline cholesterol levels (200 - 239 mg/dL) in midlife raised risk for late-life vascular dementia by nearly the same amount: 52 percent.
Vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease, is a group of dementia syndromes caused by conditions affecting the blood supply to the brain.
Scientists are still trying to pinpoint the genetic factors and lifestyle causes for Alzheimer’s disease.
By measuring cholesterol levels in 1964 to 1973 based on the 2002 Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines (the current practice standard) when the Kaiser Permanente Northern California members were 40 to 45 years old, then following the participants for 40 years, this study is the largest long-term study with the most diverse population to examine the midlife cholesterol levels and late-life dementia.
“Our study shows that even moderately high cholesterol levels in your 40s puts people at greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia decades later,” said the study’s senior author. Rachel Whitmer, Ph.D., a research scientist and epidemiologist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif.
“Considering that nearly 100 million Americans have either high or borderline cholesterol levels, this is a disturbing finding. The good news here is that what is good for the heart is also good for the mind, and this is an early risk factor for dementia that can be modified and managed by lowering cholesterol through healthy lifestyle changes,” the expert added. (ANI)
- Hormone therapy use may increase or decrease dementia risk - Nov 19, 2010
- Study: Smoking doubles the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia - Oct 27, 2010
- Heavy smoking doubles Alzheimer's risk - Oct 27, 2010
- Obesity may be linked to dementia - Mar 07, 2011
- Midlife crisis could be linked with dementia - May 08, 2012
- High levels of 'good' cholesterol linked to lower risk of Alzheimer's - Dec 14, 2010
- Smoking Doubles Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease, Study Reveals - Oct 26, 2010
- Mid-aged women with high cholesterol not at risk for Alzheimer - Nov 11, 2010
- Dementia linked to midlife weight crisis - May 03, 2011
- Simple lifestyle changes can prevent Alzheimer's - Jul 19, 2011
- High-sugar diets in teens 'increase heart disease risk later in life' - Jan 11, 2011
- Heavy smoking in midlife 'doubles dementia risk' - Oct 26, 2010
- Healthy lifestyle can help cut Alzheimer risk - Jul 19, 2011
- High cholesterol linked to Alzheimer's - Sep 13, 2011
- High levels of 'good' cholesterol may be harmful for diabetic women - Jun 27, 2010
Tags: 45 years, adult treatment, blood supply to the brain, brain scientists, deciliter, dementia, epidemiologist, genetic factors, geriatric cognitive disorders, high cholesterol levels, journal dementia, kaiser permanente, milligrams, northern california members, oakland calif, research scientist, university of kuopio, ups, vascular dementia, whitmer