A new study suggests that fluctuations in cholesterol levels in older adults could signal an increased risk of dementia and cognitive decline.
Researchers reported in the journal Neurology that individuals with the greatest variability in their cholesterol levels faced a 60% higher risk of developing dementia. Additionally, the study found a 23% increased risk of cognitive impairment, which is an early stage of brain aging and can lead to dementia.
Zhen Xu, a research fellow at Monash University in Melbourne, stated in a news release that these findings indicate annual fluctuations in cholesterol could serve as a new biomarker for identifying individuals at risk of dementia.
He added that these results provide more information than simply measuring cholesterol levels at a single point in time.
