Serum total cholesterol, statins and cognition in non-demented elderly.
BACKGROUND
The association between serum total cholesterol (TC), lipid-lowering drugs and cognition in the elderly is currently controversial.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between TC, lipid-lowering drugs and cognitive functions in non-demented elderly.


METHODS
Participants of the Cardiovascular risk factors, aging and dementia (CAIDE) study were derived from random, population-based samples previously studied in 1972, 1977, 1982 or 1987. Analyses are based on 1382 non-demented participants re-examined in 1998 after an average follow-up of 21 years.


RESULTS
High midlife TC was associated with poorer late-life episodic memory and category fluency. TC decreased in most individuals over time. A more pronounced decrease was related to poorer late-life episodic memory and psychomotor speed, but not if subjects used statins.


CONCLUSIONS
The TC-cognition relationship seems bidirectional. High midlife TC is associated with poorer late-life cognition, but decreasing TC after midlife may reflect poorer cognitive status. Statins may be beneficial for cognition in non-demented elderly.
Solomon
A
A
Department of Neurology, University of Kuopio, P.O. Box 1627 FIN-70211, Kuopio, Finland. alina.solomon@uku.fi
Kåreholt
I
I
Ngandu
T
T
Wolozin
B
B
Macdonald
S W S
SW
Winblad
B
B
Nissinen
A
A
Tuomilehto
J
J
Soininen
H
H
Kivipelto
M
M
D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D002784:Cholesterol