Khaberni - In a new study, the largest of its kind, involving more than a million people, results confirmed that lower cholesterol levels can reduce the risk of dementia.
The research, led by Dr. Liv Tybjærg Nordestgaard at the universities of Bristol and Copenhagen, found that individuals carrying certain genetic variants that naturally lower cholesterol have a lower risk of developing dementia.
Genes and cholesterol-lowering drugs
According to "Medical Express", some people are born with genetic variants that naturally affect the same proteins targeted by cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins and ezetimibe.
To test the impact of cholesterol-lowering drugs on the risk of developing dementia, researchers used a method called Mendelian randomization, a genetic analysis technique that allowed them to simulate the effects of these drugs to study how they impact the risk of dementia, while minimizing the influence of factors such as weight, diet, and other lifestyle habits.
The study was based on data from more than a million people in Denmark, England, and Finland.
By comparing these individuals with people who do not carry these genetic variants, the researchers were able to measure the differences in dementia risk.
Effect of lowering cholesterol
They found that reducing blood cholesterol levels by a slight amount (one millimole per liter) is associated with a reduction in the risk of developing dementia by up to 80% when using some medications.
Dr. Nordestgaard said: "Our study suggests that if you have these variants that lower cholesterol, your risk of dementia is much lower."
The results suggest that lower cholesterol levels, whether due to genes or medical treatment, can help reduce the risk of dementia. However, the study does not provide any conclusive evidence on the effect of the medication itself.
