Overview

• UT Health San Antonio researchers analyzed lipoprotein profiles of 822 dementia-free participants aged 60 and older from the Framingham Heart Study between 1985 and 2020.
• Each standard deviation increase in small dense LDL cholesterol corresponded to a 21% greater likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease.
• Participants in the lowest HDL cholesterol quartile were 44% less likely to develop Alzheimer's compared to those with higher HDL levels.
• Elevated ApoB48 concentrations were associated with a 22% reduction in Alzheimer's incidence, suggesting protective lipid transport mechanisms.
• Findings point to blood-based lipid profiling as a tool for early risk stratification and reinforce that managing cardiovascular health may lower dementia rates.