High cholesterol link to dementia prevention

ELDERLY people with high cholesterol who do not have dementia could help to develop a drug to treat the disease, a study found.

Those aged 85-94 with good brain function, whose cholesterol has increased since aged 40, are a third less likely to suffer mental decline than those with lower cholesterol. Researchers examined patient data collected over seven decades.

Prof Jeremy Silverman, of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, said: “Long-lived individuals who are cognitively intact despite high risk should be targeted in research, which could help identify drugs and therapies to treat dementia.”

■ A robotic baby seal, made in Japan and developed by researchers in Brighton University, is being used to help reduce stress and anxiety among elderly dementia patients.