‘Good’ cholesterol can fight heart disease and Alzheimer’s
A ‘good’ cholesterol that helps to fight heart disease may also be a defense against Alzheimer’s according to a Perth study which has been looking at the links between good cholesterol or high density lipo-proteins ( HDL) and the degenerative brain disorder.
The study of 200 people over eight years tested their memory and other skills with the aim of establishing a relationship between HDL and chemicals called beta-amyloids which are linked with Alzheimer’s.
Coordinator Kristyn Bates, from Edith Cowan University’s school of exercise, biomedical and health science, said that the “good cholesterol can work in clearing these Alzheimer’s proteins out of the body so that the more you have of HDL the less likely you are to get beta-amyloid in your blood”.
“We think this could reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer’s so the message seems to be that what’s good for the heart is also good for the brain. The ultimate aim is to try to develop a risk profile for developing Alzheimer’s. The other aim is to get enough information to start preventative and information studies, looking at physical activity and how to improve brain function,” Dr Bates said.
