PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

High good and low bad cholesterol levels are healthy for the brain, too

2013-12-31
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Phyllis Brown
phyllis.brown@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
916-734-9023
University of California - Davis Health System
High good and low bad cholesterol levels are healthy for the brain, too (SACRAMENTO, Calif.) -- High levels of "good" cholesterol and low levels of "bad" cholesterol are correlated with lower levels of the amyloid plaque deposition in the brain that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, in a pattern that mirrors the relationship between good and bad cholesterol in cardiovascular disease, UC Davis researchers have found.

"Our study shows that both higher levels of HDL — good — and lower levels of LDL — bad — cholesterol in the bloodstream are associated with lower levels of amyloid plaque deposits in the brain," said Bruce Reed, lead study author and associate director of the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center.

The relationship between elevated cholesterol and increased risk of Alzheimer's disease has been known for some time, but the current study is the first to specifically link cholesterol to amyloid deposits in living human study participants, Reed said.

"Unhealthy patterns of cholesterol could be directly causing the higher levels of amyloid known to contribute to Alzheimer's, in the same way that such patterns promote heart disease," he said.

The study, "Associations Between Serum Cholesterol Levels and Cerebral Amyloidosis," is published online today in JAMA Neurology.

In the United States, cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood. For HDL cholesterol, a level of 60 mg/dl or higher is best. For LDL cholesterol, a level of 70 mg/dL or lower is recommended for people at very high risk of heart disease.

Charles DeCarli, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Center and an author of the study, said it is a wake-up call that, just as people can influence their late-life brain health by limiting vascular brain injury through controlling their blood pressure, the same is true of getting a handle on their serum cholesterol levels.

"If you have an LDL above 100 or an HDL that is less than 40, even if you're taking a statin drug, you want to make sure that you are getting those numbers into alignment," DeCarli said. "You have to get the HDL up and the LDL down."

The study was conducted in 74 diverse male and female individuals 70 years and older who were recruited from California stroke clinics, support groups, senior facilities and the Alzheimer's Disease Center. They included three individuals with mild dementia, 33 who were cognitively normal and 38 who had mild cognitive impairment.

The participants' amyloid levels were obtained using a tracer that binds with amyloid plaques and imaging their brains using PET scans. Higher fasting levels of LDL and lower levels of HDL both were associated with greater brain amyloid — a first-time finding linking cholesterol fractions in the blood and amyloid deposition in the brain. The researchers did not study the mechanism for how cholesterol promotes amyloid deposits.

Recent guidelines instituted by the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute have suggested abandoning guidelines for LDL targets. Reed said that recommendation may be an instance in which the adage that "what's good for the heart is good for the brain" does not apply.

"This study provides a reason to certainly continue cholesterol treatment in people who are developing memory loss regardless of concerns regarding their cardiovascular health," said Reed, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Neurology.

"It also suggests a method of lowering amyloid levels in people who are middle aged, when such build-up is just starting," he said. "If modifying cholesterol levels in the brain early in life turns out to reduce amyloid deposits late in life, we could potentially make a significant difference in reducing the prevalence of Alzheimer's, a goal of an enormous amount of research and drug development effort."

### The study's other authors are Sylvia Villeneuve and William Jagust of UC Berkeley and Wendy Mack and Helena C. Chui of UCLA.

The research was supported by grants P01 AG12435, AG034570 and P30 AG10129 from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health. Villeneuve received support from the Canadian Institutes of Health.

The UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center is one of only 27 research centers designated by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Aging. The center's goal is to translate research advances into improved diagnosis and treatment for patients while focusing on the long-term goal of finding a way to prevent or cure Alzheimer's disease. Also funded by the state of California, the center allows researchers to study the effects of the disease on a uniquely diverse population. For more information, visit http://alzheimer.ucdavis.edu


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Field trial with lignin modified poplars shows potential for bio-based economy

2013-12-31
Field trial with lignin modified poplars shows potential for bio-based economy But work still needs to be done The results of a field trial with genetically modified poplar trees in Zwijnaarde, Belgium, shows that the wood of lignin ...

Most clinical studies on vitamins flawed by poor methodology

2013-12-31
Most clinical studies on vitamins flawed by poor methodology CORVALLIS, Ore. – Most large, clinical trials of vitamin supplements, including some that have concluded they are of no value or even harmful, have a flawed methodology that renders them largely ...

Molecular evolution of genetic sex-determination switch in honeybees

2013-12-31
Molecular evolution of genetic sex-determination switch in honeybees 5 amino acid differences separate males from females It's taken nearly 200 years, but scientists in Arizona and Europe have teased out how the molecular switch for sex gradually ...

Medicaid beneficiaries use emergency services due to lack of alternatives

2013-12-31
Medicaid beneficiaries use emergency services due to lack of alternatives AURORA, Colo. (Dec. 30, 2013) – A study from the University of Colorado School of Medicine shows patients with Medicaid insurance seeking care in an emergency department may be ...

Major reductions in seafloor marine life from climate change by 2100

2013-12-31
Major reductions in seafloor marine life from climate change by 2100 A new study quantifies for the first time future losses in deep-sea marine life, using advanced climate models. Results show that even the most remote deep-sea ecosystems ...

Contralateral needling at unblocked collaterals for post-stroke hemiplegia

2013-12-30
Contralateral needling at unblocked collaterals for post-stroke hemiplegia Hemiplegia caused by stroke indicates the dysfunctions of the neurological network between the brain and limbs. Under this condition, conventional acupuncture at the acupoints on the affected ...

First location of melatonin in caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus

2013-12-30
First location of melatonin in caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus Accumulating research indicates that melatonin has a major role in pain transmission and has an ultra-sensitizing effect. Dr. Fang Huang and colleagues from Sun Yat-sen University in China for the ...

Genetic background of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Chinese Han population

2013-12-30
Genetic background of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Chinese Han population A previous study of European Caucasian patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis demonstrated that a polymorphism in the microtubule-associated protein Tau ...

Earth's crust was unstable in the Archean eon and dripped down into the mantle

2013-12-30
Earth's crust was unstable in the Archean eon and dripped down into the mantle Model calculations indicate that the extreme density of the base of the thickened primary crust caused it to subside into the Earth's mantle Earth's mantle temperatures ...

Hebrew University researchers reach breakthrough on understanding persistent bacteria

2013-12-30
Hebrew University researchers reach breakthrough on understanding persistent bacteria Work can lead to improved therapies in the future Jerusalem, Dec. 29, 2013 – The mechanism by which some bacteria are able to survive antibacterial treatment ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New research boosts future whooping cough vaccines

Mechanistic understanding could enable better fast-charging batteries

No bones about it: new details about skeletal cell aging revealed

UNM scientists discover how nanoparticles of toxic metal used in MRI scans infiltrate human tissue

UMaine research examines best methods for growing Atlantic sea scallops

Medical cannabis could speed recovery, especially at community recovery homes

Study assesses U.S. image amid weakening of democracy

Two scientific researchers to receive 2025 Ralph L. Sacco Scholarships for Brain Health

Researchers improve chemical reaction that underpins products from foods to fuels

Texas Tech to develop semiconductor power devices through $6 million grant

Novel genomic screening tool enables precision reverse-engineering of genetic programming in cells

Hot Schrödinger cat states created

How cells repair their power plants

Oxygen is running low in inland waters—and humans are to blame

ACP’s Best Practice Advice addresses use of cannabis, cannabinoids for chronic noncancer pain

Beyond photorespiration: A systematic approach to unlocking enhanced plant productivity

How a small number of mutations can fuel outbreaks of western equine encephalitis virus

Exposure to wildfire smoke linked with worsening mental health conditions

Research uncovers hidden spread of one of the most common hospital-associated infections

Many older adults send their doctors portal messages, but who pays?

Fine particulate matter from 2020 California wildfires and mental health–related emergency department visits

Gender inequity in institutional leadership roles in US academic medical centers

Pancreatic cells ‘remember’ epigenetic precancerous marks without genetic sequence mutations

Rare combination of ovarian tumors found in one patient

AI-driven clinical recommendations may aid physician decision making to improve quality of care

Artificial intelligence has potential to aid physician decisions during virtual urgent care

ACP and Annals of Internal Medicine present breaking scientific news at ACP’s Internal Medicine Meeting 2025

New study reveals polymers with flawed fillers boost heat transfer in plastics

Signs identified that precede sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in young people

Discovery of bacteria's defence against viruses becomes a piece of the puzzle against resistance

[Press-News.org] High good and low bad cholesterol levels are healthy for the brain, too