While most people with Alzheimer’s disease are 80 years old or older, about 10% begin to suffer symptoms before age 65. Researchers are beginning to question whether bad cholesterol may be a catalyst for this second cohort.
In fact, researchers with the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Emory University have identified a possible link between high LDL cholesterol levels and early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
“If that is the case, we might need to revise targets for LDC cholesterol to help reduce Alzheimer’s risk,” said Thomas Wingo, M.D., lead author of the study,
Elevated cholesterol levels have previously been linked to increased risk of Alzheimer’s later in life. This risk may be due to genetic factors tied to cholesterol. Past research has also shown that a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is a specific mutation in a gene referred to as APOE. It is the largest known single genetic risk factor for the disease.
Full findings appear in the May 28 issue of JAMA Neurology.
