Many statin users have frequent complaints of changes in cognitive function and amnesia. Several studies, one listed in the Geriatric Times,discuss memory loss as a result of taking statin drugs.
A type of amnesia called transient global amnesia has been linked to several statin drugs. The memory dysfunction comes on without warning and often soon after starting the statin drug.
The decline in memory is often so bad that many statin takers don’t even recognize their spouse. Because individuals are not aware of this statin side effect, these cognitive changes are often not reported till after years of use.
Cholesterol and the Formation of Memory
Cholesterol is vital for not only cognitive function such as learning and memory, but also all cell connections in the brain. It has also been identified to be imperative to the formation of synapses.
Synapses are structures located between brain cells that allow the transmission of signals or information from one brain cell to another brain cell. For example, patients with Alzheimer’s disease have been found to have a significant loss of synapses between brain cells.
According to research when cholesterol was diminished, whether from abstaining from cholesterol-rich food or from taking statin drugs, less synapses were formed and the ones that were formed were inefficient and under functioning.
A European study documented in Science also confirmed that any decline in available cholesterol to the brain will impair the circuitry of mental function due to a drop in synapses between brain cells. When cholesterol was added to brain cells in a lab study, the formation of synapses increased by 12 times.
The brain uses more than 25% of the total cholesterol available every day. Cholesterol is so important to the brain that it is actually synthesized by specific cells in the brain during sleep. (Iowa State University) Statin drugs inhibit the cholesterol production everywhere in the body including the brain.
Statins not only inhibit the production of cholesterol but also reduce LDL levels. Individuals taking up to 80mg of a statin drug may see LDL levels drop to as low as 40mg/dl
The LDL transports antioxidants, fat soluble nutrients and essential fatty acids to the brain for proper brain functioning.
Cholesterol also promotes the growth of new brain cells and protects the integrity of the myelin sheath. The myelin sheath, essential for the proper function of the entire nervous system, covers the length of brain and nerve cells and is one fifth cholesterol. Low cholesterol levels make the myelin more vulnerable to breakdown and malfunction.
Research reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that when brain cells are deprived of cholesterol, they are five times less effective at releasing neurotransmitters for brain function.
Neurotransmitters are internal chemical substances held between synapses in synaptic sacs and are released to transport information from brain cell to brain cell.
Studies Confirming Statins Adverse Effects on the Brain
A few studies have confirmed the adverse effects of statins on the brain. They include the following:
- Pharmacotherapy (2003) reported several cases of a drop in cognition in individuals on Lipitor and Zocor.
- University of Pittsburg reported that psychomotor skill, memory and the ability to problem solve declined in individuals on statin drugs compared to those taking placebos.
- UCLA after reviewing various randomized trials have reported that statin drugs adversely affect memory and cognition.
- Nurses Health Study reported increased rate of strokes in those who maintained a low cholesterol diet.
Sources:
Richards, Byron, Wellness Resources, Inc., 2010
Wikipedia, Synapse, 2010
Cholesterol Helps Brain Cells Communicate, Reuters Health, 2001
Lupien, S. J., et al, The Effects of Stress and Stress Hormones on Human Cognition: Implications for the Field of Brain and Cognition, Brain and Cognition, 2007
Iowa State University, Cholesterol Reducing Drugs Known May Lessen Brain Function, Science Daily, 2009
Masterjohn, Chris, Learning, Your Memory and Cholesterol, 2005
Kathryn Picoulin - Dr. Kathryn Picoulin, BSN, ND, PhD received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University of Chico in 1978. After ...
