A brain scan showing regions of the brain activated during a series of memory tasks.

Credit: Pittsburgh Supercomputing Centre

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PARIS,: So-called 'good' cholesterol, or HDL-C, plays an important role in maintaining memory in later life, according to a French-led study.

The researchers looked at cholesterol levels and memory deficit among 3,673 male and female civil servants, who were assessed when they reached the age of 55 and again when they reached 61.

Low levels of HDL-C (40 milligrams per decalitre or less) were associated with a greater risks of a memory gap in both assessments, when compared with high levels (60 mg/dL or more) of this lipo-protein.

Memory tests

The test comprised the ability to recall the maximum number of words in a 20-word list.

"HDL-C levels are potentially modifiable, and our results show that low HDL-C is associated with poor memory and decline in memory in middle-aged adults," the study's authors wrote in their paper.

The paper appears in the American scientific journal, Ateriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, published by the American Heart Association. Lead author is Archana Singh-Manoux of the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Paris.

Cholesterol is notoriously implicated in cardiovascular disease, notably when there are high levels of 'bad' cholesterol, or LDL-C, compared with levels of HDL-C.