title: Cholesterol level and statin use in Alzheimer disease: I. Review of epidemiological and preclinical studies.
abstract: During the last 2 decades, evidence has accumulated that a high cholesterol level may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer disease (AD). With the global use of statins to treat hypercholesterolemia, this finding has led to the anticipation that statins could prove useful in treating or preventing AD. However, the results of work on this topic are inconsistent: some studies find beneficial effects, but other studies do not. In this first segment of a 2-part review, we examine the complex preclinical and clinical literature on cholesterol level and AD. First, we review epidemiological research on cholesterol level and the risk of AD and discuss the relevance of discrepancies among studies with regard to participants' age and clinical status. Second, we assess studies correlating cholesterol level with neuropathological AD type. The potential molecular mechanisms for the apparent adverse effects of cholesterol on the development of AD are then discussed. Third, we review preclinical studies of statin use and AD. Therefore, this first part of our review provides the background and rationale for investigating statins as potential therapeutic agents in patients with AD, the subject of the second part.
authors: Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors: Nina E
authors: NE
authors: Shepardson
authors: Ganesh M
authors: GM
authors: Shankar
authors: Dennis J
authors: DJ
authors: Selkoe
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006801:Humans; D039781:PubMed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D002784:Cholesterol