Dementia and your cholesterol
When we speak of cholesterol, negative thoughts of blocked arteries and heart attacks come to mind. However, not all types of cholesterol are detrimental to our health. There are 2 main types of cholesterol in our body - the low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and the high-density lipoproteins (HDL). LDL cholesterol is considered to be “bad” cholesterol and is linked to atherosclerosis. LDL levels in our blood should therefore be kept low. HDL is deemed to be the “good” cholesterol and high levels of HDL in the blood may actually be beneficial and decrease the risk of heart attacks. HDL cholesterol plays important roles in several vital biological functions including clearance of excess cholesterol from the blood, assistance in the maturation process of nerve-cell synapses, and controlling the formation of beta-amyloid. Beta-amyloid is the major component of plaque deposits found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
A recent study demonstrated the role of HDL in the development of dementia. Low levels of HDL are linked to having memory loss in middle age and dementia later in life. The report is based on data collected by the Whitehall II study, a long-term health research study involving more than 10,000 British civil servants working in London. The study has been ongoing since 1985. More →
Raquel Billiones has a PhD in Biology and has over 15 years experience as a researcher, scientific English teacher, and medical writer. Since 2006, she has been a freelance WAHM specializing in medical writing and scientific documentation. 
