If the level of ‘this’ in your blood is fluctuating… your risk of dementia increases by 60%.

It has been shown that elderly people whose cholesterol levels fluctuate significantly from year to year, regardless of medication changes, may have an increased risk of dementia or cognitive decline.

According to a report by American science media outlet SciTechDaily, researchers at Australia’s Monash University analyzed study data among older adults in Australia and the United States and found that low-dose aspirin did not lower the risk of heart disease. The average age of the 9,846 people who participated in the study was 74 years old, and 55% were women. All participants did not have dementia at the start of the study. Although 32% of participants used cholesterol-lowering medications, participants who started, stopped, or changed cholesterol-lowering medications during the study were excluded. All participants had their total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol measured every three years.

For six years after the cholesterol assessment, participants were monitored for the development of dementia based on an expert panel’s analysis of cognitive test results, self-reported cognitive problems, and medical records indicating a dementia diagnosis or dementia medication prescriptions. For this analysis, participants were divided into quartiles based on variation in cholesterol levels. The researchers compared the highest and lowest 25% of cholesterol level variability with dementia diagnosis and cognitive decline.

As a result of a 6-year follow-up, 509 people developed dementia, and 1,760 people showed cognitive decline without dementia. When researchers compared those with the most stable cholesterol levels, participants with high fluctuations in total cholesterol (top 25%) had a 60% increased risk of dementia and a 23% increased cognitive decline.

Fluctuations in LDL and total cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol, have been shown to lower overall cognitive health test scores and worsen memory and reaction speed. On the other hand, high fluctuations in HDL, also known as good cholesterol, were not associated with dementia or cognitive decline.

“Significant fluctuations in total and LDL cholesterol levels can destabilize atherosclerotic plaques, which are composed mostly of LDL cholesterol,” the researchers said. “This destabilization may increase the risk of plaque growth, rupture, and subsequent disruption of cerebral blood flow. , and therefore may affect brain function.”

“Older people whose cholesterol levels fluctuate regardless of whether they take medication, especially those who experience large fluctuations from year to year, may need close monitoring and proactive intervention,” said study author Dr. Jen Zhou.

This study will be presented at the 2024 American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions, which will be held in Chicago, USA from November 16th.