engleski

Has cholesterol a roled in pathogenesis of dementia ?

Dementia is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly people. Recent studies have shown the vascular dementia and Alzheimer's dementia might overlap in many aspects. Also it was suggested that elevated cholesterol could have some influence on Alzheimer's dementia onset and progression. The aim of study was to evaluate the levels of cholesterol in patients with Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD). Sixty-six patients with dementia were enrolled in this study. AD was diagnosed in 43 and VD in 23 patients. In a group of 43 patients (22 males and 21 females) with AD, mean age 72, 79 years (standard deviation /SD/=8, 19 years), and in a group of 23 patients with VaD, mean age 77, 43 (SD=7, 58) plasma values of cholesterol were analyzed. In AD group 18 patients had normal, and 25 had elevated plasma cholesterol levels, while in VaD group 12 patients had elevated and 11 had normal plasma cholesterol levels. Mean plasma level of total cholesterol was 5, 39 (SD=1, 05), LDL cholesterol was 3, 33 (SD= 0, 95), and HDL cholesterol was 1, 41 (SD= 0, 34) in patients with AD. In patients with VaD mean plasma level of total cholesterol was 5, 78 (SD=1, 06), LDL cholesterol was 1, 44 (SD=0, 57), LDL cholesterol was 3, 72 (SD=0, 85). The levels of cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol were higher in group of patients with VaD, but the difference did not receive statistical significance. It is well known that VaD is associated with vascular risk factors. However, our data show that patients with AD also have elevated plasma levels of cholesterol. Results of this study support the idea that cholesterol could have some influence on etiology, onset and progression of AD, as well as on pathogenesis of VaD.

cholesterol; dementia; pathogenesis

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