High Cholesterol Increases Risk for Alzheimer's

A new study from European researchers has found that long-term exposure to high-cholesterol diets may significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, although the researchers caution the disease is affected by many factors. Over 25 million people around the world have Alzheimer’s Disease, and as life spans increase, so will the numbers of people with the disease.

“Alzheimer’s Disease is very prevalent,” says Dr. Martin Bednar. “In fact, we are on the verge of an epidemic.”

Dr. Bednar is the clinical lead at Pfizer for an Alzheimer’s project. He told Vatican Radio many people have the disease without even knowing.

“The disease starts many, many years – even decades – before you actually have these symptons.”

Dr. Bednar is in Rome for a one-day conference on Thursday at the Pontifical Lateran University entitled “Ethics, Aging, and the Coming Healthcare Challenge” Co-sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Family and the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, the conference is discussing how different advances in science and society affect what it calls “inter-generational” solidarity.

Dr. Bednar says different disciplines must come together to tackle all the challenges posed by Alzheimer’s Disease.

“For society to cure this, it will require a multi-factorial approach,” he says. “It will require priests and clergy to appropriately guide us in the care for the elderly…[also] making sure countries spend appropriately…we need to make sure the appropriate funding is set aside.”

Listen to Martin Bednar's full interview with Charles Collins: