Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health analyzed health records of about 1,700 elderly Mexican-Americans who took cholesterol-lowering statin drugs for five years.
A quarter of the patients took a statin, and in total 130 went on to develop dementia. The study found those who took statins had an approximately 50 percent lower risk of developing dementia than those who did not.
Since a decreased supply of blood to the brain is a major factor which promotes the development of dementia, researchers believe that statins help keep the blood vessels healthy and blood flowing freely to the brain. This in turn may help protect against the disease.
However, study author Mary N. Haan told WebMD news that the people should not take statins to prevent cognitive decline if they don't need them for other reasons. The findings also suggest a need to follow patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetes more closely for mental decline.
The study appears in the August issue of the journal Neurology.
