Study: Dementia Linked to Fluctuating Blood Lipid Levels

Facts

• A study of 11.7K adults with an average age of 71 determined that those with the most variability in their total cholesterol level had a 19% more significant risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia.¹
• The study, which analyzed participants from the Mayo Clinic's Rochester Epidemiology Project in Minnesota from 2006 to 2018 or until the participant's death, found that people in the highest quintile of triglyceride fluctuation were at a 23% higher risk of developing dementia.²
• Participants' lipid profiles, including total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, were taken at least three different days in the five years before the start of the study. However, researchers didn't know the lipid levels between 2006 and 2018.¹
• The study, in which 54% of participants were women and 96% were white, also found no increased risk between HDL or LDL cholesterols and dementia. Participants' histories included stroke (13%), myocardial infarction (7%), diabetes (35%), and cancer (22%).²
• Previous research has shown that abnormally high levels of cholesterol correlate with dementia. However, the study's authors said these findings could "help us identify who is at greater risk for dementia" or "understand mechanisms for the development of dementia."³
• The study did have limitations regarding the participant pool, including that some participants had more comorbidities than others, the pool was predominantly white, and researchers did not know whether participants were previously diagnosed with any type of dementia.²

Sources: ¹CNN, ²MedPage Today, and ³KCCI.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Mayo Clinic. Research into the connection between heart problems — e.g. high cholesterol and blood pressure leading to plaque buildup on the brain — and cognitive impairment has already proven vital in the fight to cure dementia. As researchers and doctors continue to find causes and treatments, this devastating disease could one day be solved with medical innovation on the horizon.
• Narrative B, as provided by The Conversation. While scientists are currently working on multiple theories for what causes Alzheimer's, it's still the most complicated brain disease and is misunderstood by experts and laymen alike. Furthermore, despite the fact that it's a global medical problem faced by tens of millions of people, research into potential causes and cures doesn't receive nearly the same funding as other diseases. Most attempted cures have failed so far, so the medical industry must work even harder to give the horrid and complex condition of dementia the focus it deserves.

Predictions