Australia’s Heart Research Institute makes breakthrough link between dementia and high cholesterol

Scientists at the Heart Research Institute say they’ve made a major breakthrough by finding, for the first time, the definitive relationship between dementia and high cholesterol.

The researchers say the results are significant because they mean future tests to calculate a person’s risk of dementia can be done through blood tests.

The scientists looked at data from 17 global studies that included more than a million patients under the age of 65.

dr Ashish Misra of the institute said the results are exciting and a “game changer” because it is the first definitive link between cholesterol levels and dementia.

“This is the first time we can categorically say that there is a direct link between what we eat and our cognitive decline,” he said.

The scientists looked at data from 17 global studies that included more than a million patients under the age of 65

The researchers say the results are significant because they mean future tests to calculate a person’s risk of dementia can be done through blood tests

Until now, we didn’t know that high cholesterol is a risk factor for dementia, but we found a connection: “bad” cholesterol aggregates a protein called tau between neurons, which crosses the blood-brain barrier and can lead to dementia. said Dr. misrah

Cholesterol is used by the body to make hormones and aid in digestion, but too much cholesterol from a diet high in sugar and fat imbalances blood lipid levels and causes complications.

High cholesterol can cause plaque to build up along artery walls and increase the risk of stroke.

“Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet to get rid of plaque on your arteries. We must learn to live with it and help it resolve over time through improved diet and a healthy lifestyle.”

dr Misra said the discovery will lead to much better identification of early warning signs of dementia, giving people the opportunity to work on their risk factors, including diet and exercise.

It has been shown that the first effects of dementia often appear 10 to 20 years before the onset of clinical symptoms and that 40 percent of the risk of developing it can be attributed to modifiable risk factors.

dr The institute’s Ashish Misra (pictured) said the results are exciting and “groundbreaking” because they are the first definitive link between cholesterol levels and dementia

“This is the first time we can categorically say that there is a direct link between what we eat and our cognitive decline,” said Dr. misrah

dr Misra said simple and inexpensive tests can be performed by doctors on people in their 50s, so at-risk patients can work to improve their diet to manage cognitive decline.

The number of people living with dementia in Australia is around 487,500. In the population over 65 years of age, this corresponds to 84 patients per 1,000 inhabitants.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says that number is expected to increase further in the coming years due to the country’s aging population.

There are projections that the number of Australians living with dementia will more than double by 2058.

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