Women whose cholesterol levels are in the top 25 percent have a 76-percent increase in risk of developing dementia, compared to women with lower cholesterol levels, according to a study of 1,037 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study.

Yaffe K, Barrett-Connor E, Lin F, Grady D. Serum lipoprotein levels, statin use, and cognitive function in older women. Arch Neurol. 2002;59:378-384.

Here is a related reference on dietary factors and risk of Alzheimer's disease: Seshadri S, Beiser A, Selhub J, et al. Plasma homocysteine as a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. N Engl J Med. 2002 Feb 14;346(7):476-483.

Here is a related reference on a dietary approach to cholesterol-lowering in women, from a recent PCRM study: Barnard ND, Scialli AR, Bertron P, Hurlock D, Edmonds K, Talev L. Effectiveness of a low-fat, vegetarian diet in altering serum lipids in healthy premenopausal women. Am J Cardiol. 2000;85:969-972.

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