Lowering cholesterol may reduce dementia risk, study suggests.

Lowering cholesterol may reduce dementia risk, says huge study.

Why it matters

  • Dementia is a major health concern, and this study suggests a possible way to reduce risk using widely available cholesterol-lowering drugs.

By the numbers

  • Close to a million participants were involved in this meta-analysis.

The big picture

  • If confirmed, this could lead to new dementia prevention strategies targeting cholesterol.

What they're saying

  • A top comment notes that vascular dementia is a known condition, supporting the cholesterol-dementia link.

Caveats

  • The study shows a correlation, not causation, and more research, including clinical trials, is needed.

What’s next

  • Researchers suggest clinical trials to observe the effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs on dementia risk.