A new study finds that very high cholesterol levels can significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and even be the cause of the brain disorder. While previous research has already established a link between Alzheimer's and high 'bad' cholesterol, this is the first study to discover it can increase the risk for early onset of the disease, even if you do not have the "Alzheimer's gene."
Researches explain four genes can raise the risk for early-onset Alzheimer's disease.However, these genes only account for 14 per cent of the 200,000 cases of the brain disorder in the US. Even though Alzheimer's generally strikes after the age 65, close to five and 10 per cent of the patients develop memory loss in 40s or 50s. Those who inherit high-risk genes are more likely to suffer from memory loss in their 30s.
However, the researchers of this study examined how cholesterol, specifically low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or 'bad' cholesterol, impacts the brain. For the study, the team examined the blood samples and DNA from 2,125 people, out of which 654had early-onset Alzheimer's.The researchers found 10 per cent of the participants with early-onset Alzheimer's had a variation of the APOE gene that is linked with the condition. They also noted three per cent of them had one of three genes that put them at risk of Alzheimer's.
"The big question is whether there is a causal link between cholesterol levels in the blood and Alzheimer's disease risk," study author Dr Thomas Wingo, neurologist, told a news portal. Adding, "The existing data have been murky on this point. One interpretation of our current data is that LDL cholesterol does play a causal role. If that is the case, we might need to revise targets for LDC cholesterol to help reduce Alzheimer's risk."
Researchers have yet to determine a way to detect who is more prone to the disease at a young age. Understanding the root cause of the disease is the only way to develop better treatment options.The findings suggest that adopting a healthy diet may protect against memory loss.
The study's findings were originally published in JAMA Neurology.
