A study by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research that analyzed the medical records of their long-time plan participants revealed that men and women with significantly elevated levels of cholesterol in their 40s were 57 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than their peers.
Of the ten thousand original participants in the study, roughly 600 developed a mental disability in their later years. Even those with only mildly elevated cholesterol were 50% more likely than those with normal levels to develop dementia. Though the study is not far reaching, and does not directly correlate high cholesterol to dementia, the authors of the study caution the public to maintain healthy lifestyles and be aware of "modifiable risk factors."
You can read a synopsis of the study published in the NY Times.
Want to learn more about Alzheimer's and dementia? Take a look at our resource guides for Alzheimer's Disease and Aging and Disabilities.
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