ALZHEIMER’S AND CHOLESTEROL: A
MISUNDERSTOOD LINK
A
recently published research sheds new light on the link between cholesterol
levels in rodent brain and neurodegenerative processes (Abad-Rodriguez et al. Neuronal membrane cholesterol loss enhances amyloid
peptide generation. J. Cell Biol. 167, 953-960, 2004).
Abad-Rodriguez
faces this contradiction: reducing cholesterol levels in the mouse brain seems
to promote degeneration while cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as the statins,
can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
The
Authors conclude that commonly used statins scarcely penetrate the blood-brain
barrier, so their benefits might derive from their anti-inflammatory or
anti-oxidant properties rather than their direct effect on brain neurons.