Skip to main content

Higher Triglyceride Levels Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Oct. 26, 2023 -- For older adults, higher triglyceride levels are associated with lower dementia risk, according to a study published online Oct. 25 in Neurology.

Zhen Zhou, Ph.D., from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues examined the association of triglycerides with dementia and cognition change among community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older without dementia or previous cardiovascular events at enrollment (18,294 ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly [ASPREE] participants). The analysis was repeated in a subcohort of participants with available APOE-ε4 genetic data and an external cohort (68,200 participants from the U.K. Biobank).

The researchers found that dementia was recorded in 823 and 2,778 individuals from the ASPREE and U.K. Biobank cohorts during a median follow-up of 6.4 and 12.5 years, respectively. In the entire ASPREE cohort, higher triglyceride levels were associated with lower dementia risk (hazard ratio with doubling of triglycerides, 0.82). Similar findings were seen in the subcohort of participants with APOE-ε4 genetic data (hazard ratio, 0.82) and in the U.K. Biobank cohort (hazard ratio, 0.83). Slower decline in global, composite cognition and memory over time were seen in association with higher triglycerides.

"Higher triglyceride levels may be reflective of better overall health and lifestyle behaviors that would protect against dementia," Zhou said in a statement. "Our findings suggest that triglyceride levels may serve as a useful predictor for dementia risk and cognitive decline in older populations."

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted October 2023

Read this next

Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam Improves Detection of Cognitive Issues in Primary Care

TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- A self-administered gerocognitive examination (SAGE) is easily incorporated into primary care provider (PCP) visits, and its use significantly increases...

Emergence of Psychosis in Alzheimer Disease Linked to Elevations in p-tau181

MONDAY, July 1, 2024 -- For individuals with Alzheimer disease (AD), the emergence of psychosis is associated with elevations in levels of plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine...

Cognitive Impairment Delayed With Genetic Variant

THURSDAY, June 20, 2024 -- Cognitive impairment is delayed among persons who are heterozygous for the apolipoprotein E3 Christchurch variant (APOE3Ch), according to a study...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.