According to an animal study, high cholesterol may cause changes in the brain leading to Alzheimer's Disease. The study was presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience.
Researchers in South Carolina subjected mice to a high cholesterol, high fat diet for a significant period of time. Then the mice were subject to memory and performance tests. These mice were then compared to mice on a normal diet and genetically engineered mice who would not exhibit raised cholesterol levels.
Both the mice on the high fat diet and the genetically engineered mice showed deficits on the memory and performance tests compared to normal mice fed a normal diet.
The researchers believe that the changes in cognitive function are not specifically due to the fat or cholesterol, but are more related to the increases in inflammation that high cholesterol can cause. They found abnormally high levels of inflammatory markers in the brains of mice fed the high cholesterol diet, and in particular the regions that are affected by Alzheimer's disease.
They concluded that the study provides evidence that high cholesterol and high fat diets can impact cognitive function and that they may play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Because of the multitude of health conditions related to high cholesterol and high fat intake all person's should eat a low-fat diet, and the recommendation is double for any person with other risk factors for Alzheimers' disease.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on November 8, 2006 04:39 PM
