A new study suggests that fluctuating cholesterol levels year-on-year might put individuals at a greater risk of dementia compared to those with stable cholesterol measurements. Researchers claim this discovery could mark a “new biomarker” for detecting dementia risk.
The investigation included 9,846 participants aged 65 and over, initially showing no signs of dementia or memory problems. With an average start age of 73.9 years, the subjects’ total cholesterol was measured, followed by assessments for three consecutive years.
According to Pharmacy magazine, during a following period that averaged 5.5 years after the third assessment, participants underwent annual cognitive tests.
They were split into four groups, based on the change between their first and fourth cholesterol test results. As the study progressed, 509 people developed dementia.
Researchers adjusted for other factors that are known to influence dementia risk – such as age, smoking and high blood pressure. The team found that participants with the highest total variation in cholesterol were 60% more likely to develop dementia than those who had stable levels.
Further, those with the greatest variability in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were 48% more likely to develop dementia than those with the least variation. Pharmacy magazine’s report added that “people who showed the greatest variability in total cholesterol and LDL-C were 23 and 27 per cent more likely to develop cognitive impairment or memory problems that did not meet the criteria for dementia than those with the most stable levels”.
It did caveat that the study did not prove that variable total cholesterol levels caused dementia.
