Plasma cholesterol and risk for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Evaluation of: Reitz C, Tang MX, Schupf N et al. Association of higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in elderly individuals and lower risk of late-onset Alzheimer disease. Arch. Neurol. 67(12), 1491–1497 (2010).

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. AD has a multifactorial origin, resulting from an interaction between genetic susceptibility and environmental risk factors. Genetic, epidemiological, experimental and clinical data strongly suggest that the metabolism of cholesterol has an important role in AD pathogenesis. Several studies have demonstrated that high concentrations of serum cholesterol increase the risk of AD. Statins, drugs that reduce cholesterol levels, have been investigated as a possible treatment for AD. However, the literature is not exempt of contradictory results. In this article, we review a recent article by Reitz et al. demonstrating that higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are associated with lower risk of AD. In addition, we discuss the current state of knowledge regarding the relationship between plasma cholesterol and AD, stressing the need for understanding the molecular mechanisms behind this association.

Keywords::

• Alzheimer’s disease
• cholesterol
• cognitive decline
• late onset
• risk factors

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors are funded by the following Swedish foundations: Swedish Brain Power, Gunoch Bertil Stohnes Stiftelse, Stiftelsen Gamla Tjänarinnor, Alzheimerfonden and the regional agreement on medical training and clinical research (ALF) between Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.