The Facts
A study of 11.7K adults with an average age of 71 determined that those with the most variability in their total cholesterol level had a 19% more significant risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia.
The study, which analyzed participants from the Mayo Clinic's Rochester Epidemiology Project in Minnesota from 2006 to 2018 or until the participant's death, found that people in the highest quintile of triglyceride fluctuation were at a 23% higher risk of developing dementia.
The Spin
Narrative A
Research into the connection between heart problems — e.g. high cholesterol and blood pressure leading to plaque buildup on the brain — and cognitive impairment has already proven vital in the fight to cure dementia. As researchers and doctors continue to find causes and treatments, this devastating disease could one day be solved with medical innovation on the horizon.
Narrative B
While scientists are currently working on multiple theories for what causes Alzheimer's, it's still the most complicated brain disease and is misunderstood by experts and laymen alike. Furthermore, despite the fact that it's a global medical problem faced by tens of millions of people, research into potential causes and cures doesn't receive nearly the same funding as other diseases. Most attempted cures have failed so far, so the medical industry must work even harder to give the horrid and complex condition of dementia the focus it deserves.
