People with more small HDL particles in their cerebrospinal fluid show two key signs that they have more protection against Alzheimer's disease.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Having more "good" cholesterol in your body helps keep the heart healthy, but a new study finds it may also be protecting your brain as well. Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC have discovered that higher levels of HDL cholesterol display a link to better brain health in older adults. Scientists usually break cholesterol down into two categories — "bad" LDL cholesterol and "good" HDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is a big problem because it builds up in the arteries, causing blockages, and contributing to heart disease. HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, cleans up excess fats in the bloodstream, gathering them up for the body to break down. Now, the new study finds people with more small HDL particles in their cerebrospinal fluid show two key signs that they have more protection against Alzheimer's disease. One of these signs is better performance on cognitive tests later in life. The other is higher levels of a particular peptide — amyloid beta 42 — in their cerebrospinal fluid. Although this small protein is actually a key warning sign for Alzheimer's onset when it misfolds in the brain, having healthy amyloid beta protects older adults from the disease. "This study represents the first time that small HDL particles in the brain have been counted," says Hussein Yassine, M.D., an associate professor of medicine and neurology at the Keck School…