High Cholesterol can increase risk of Parkinson's

High Cholesterol Can Increase Risk of Parkinson's Disease
by Camilla HodgePrevention
Adults younger than 55 years old may run an elevated risk of developing Parkinson’s disease if they have been diagnosed with high cholesterol. This trend was found in both men and women who were part of the recent Finnish study published in the May 20 issue of Neurology. Researchers gathered information on nearly 25,000 men and women. Participants had no history of Parkinson’s disease or stroke at the beginning of the study. After an average follow-up of just more than 18 years, 321 men and 304 women developed Parkinson’s disease. These men and women were found to have higher cholesterol than the rest of the participants. Patients with the highest cholesterol were 86 percent more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than the participants with the lowest cholesterol. Interestingly, this risk applied only to participants between the ages of 24 and 54. Cholesterol levels were tested and adjusted for factors such as age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, education, leisure-time physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, coffee and tea consumption, and history of diabetes. High cholesterol can have serious negative affects on health, including increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Medical professionals are careful to monitor and treat high cholesterol in their patients. While many cases of high cholesterol can be controlled with careful diet management and regular exercise, there are several medications available to help lower cholesterol levels.Statins are one such medication. In light of this new study, some experts are concerned that these results will incorrectly associate statin use (a common treatment for high cholesterol) with preventing Parkinson’s disease. In a response published in the June 4 issue of Neurology, one doctor explained that while statins are an effective treatment for high cholesterol, they may actually trigger a reaction in the brain that causes an increase in a certain cell that can “suppress the beneficial immune effector mechanism in PD.” In other words, it unclear whether using statins to treat high cholesterol will decrease the incidence of neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease. The role of cholesterol in Parkinson’s disease has been a subject of debate in the medical community. Other studies have indicated that low cholesterol can be related to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. Such findings may be related to the affects of statins. The decision to treat high cholesterol with statins is one that should be discussed thoroughly with your doctor. However, statins may be contraindicated for patients with Parkinson’s disease. Sources:Neurology May 20, 2008 Neurology June 4, 2008