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High cholesterol contributes to poor brain health

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Individuals who receive elevated blood pressure and cholesterol test results may be at a greater risk of developing memory problems later in life, according to a new study from a team of French researchers.

These issues have long been known to contribute to heart disease and to the risk of stroke. While it has been proposed that they may also contribute to cognitive impairment, there has been little hard evidence to establish this link.

For the study, researchers from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research gave a battery of tests to a group of nearly 5,000 participants with an average age of 55. These tests were repeated over a period of 10 years. During this time, the investigators also measured participants' heart health.

The results showed that those with this poorest heart health exhibited the greatest decline in mental ability during the course of the study.

"Our findings contribute to the mounting evidence for the role of cardiovascular risk factors, such as high cholesterol and blood pressure, contributing to cognitive problems, starting in middle age," said study author Sara Kaffashian, who led the study.