Do statins help or hurt brain health in people with Alzheimer’s?
What is the impact of ongoing statin use on cognitive decline and dementia progression in older adults with mild-moderate Alzheimer disease?
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No cognitive harm from statins — despite FDA warnings
The FDA has a 'black-box warning' about statins possibly causing reversible cognitive impairment, based on case reports. But here, in a vulnerable group, statins didn’t worsen cognition — and weren’t linked to more adverse events.
Practical Takeaways
If you or a loved one has mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s and is on a statin for heart disease, it’s likely safe to continue.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No cognitive harm from statins — despite FDA warnings
The FDA has a 'black-box warning' about statins possibly causing reversible cognitive impairment, based on case reports. But here, in a vulnerable group, statins didn’t worsen cognition — and weren’t linked to more adverse events.
Practical Takeaways
If you or a loved one has mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s and is on a statin for heart disease, it’s likely safe to continue.
Publication
Journal
PLOS ONE
Year
2023
Authors
C. Murphy, A. Dyer, Brian Lawlor, S. Kennelly
Related Content
Claims (6)
Even though cholesterol-lowering drugs reduce overall cholesterol, your cells still make their own to meet their needs, and taking statins might actually lower your chances of getting dementia.
Taking statins doesn't seem to slow down memory loss in older people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's, according to a study that followed them for 18 months.
For older people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's, taking statins for 18 months doesn't clearly slow down how fast their symptoms get worse — there's a hint it might help a little, but it's not strong enough to be sure.
Taking statins doesn't seem to change how well people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's can handle everyday tasks like dressing or cooking over 18 months.
For older adults with mild to moderate Alzheimer's, taking statins for 18 months didn’t seem to cause more health problems, hospital stays, or serious issues — and while they did visit their doctor more at first, that link went away when researchers accounted for other factors.