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Brain cholesterol: long secret life behind a barrier
Björkhem I, Björkhem I, Meaney S.. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 2004-02-05
Topic: Gut, metabolism and diet
Although an immense knowledge has accumulated concerning regulation of cholesterol homeostasis in the body, this does not include the brain, where details are just emerging. Approximately 25% of the total amount of the cholesterol present in humans is localized to this organ, most of it present in myelin. Almost all brain cholesterol is a product of local synthesis, with the blood-brain barrier efficiently protecting it from exchange with lipoprotein cholesterol in the circulation. Thus, there is a highly efficient apolipoprotein-dependent recycling of cholesterol in the brain, with minimal losses to the circulation. Under steady-state conditions, most of the de novo synthesis of cholesterol in the brain appears to be balanced by excretion of the cytochrome P-450-generated oxysterol 24S-hydroxycholesterol. This oxysterol is capable of escaping the recycling mechanism and traversing the blood-brain barrier. Cholesterol levels and cholesterol turnover are affected in neurodegenerating disorders, and the capacity for cholesterol transport and recycling in the brain seems to be of importance for the development of such diseases. The possibility has been discussed that administration of inhibitors of cholesterol synthesis may reduce the prevalence of Alzheimer disease. No firm conclusions can, however, be drawn from the studies presented thus far. In the present review, the most recent advances in our understanding of cholesterol turnover in the brain is discussed.
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APA 7th
Björkhem, I., & Meaney, S. (2004). Brain cholesterol: long secret life behind a barrier. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.atv.0000120374.59826.1b
Vancouver
Björkhem I, Meaney S. Brain cholesterol: long secret life behind a barrier. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. 2004. doi:10.1161/01.atv.0000120374.59826.1b. PMID: 14764421.
BibTeX
@article{bjorkhem2004-14764421,
author = {Björkhem, I. and Meaney, S.},
title = {{Brain cholesterol: long secret life behind a barrier}},
journal = {Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1161/01.atv.0000120374.59826.1b},
pmid = {14764421},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1161/01.atv.0000120374.59826.1b}
}
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Key findings
- This oxysterol is capable of escaping the recycling mechanism and traversing the blood-brain barrier.
- Cholesterol levels and cholesterol turnover are affected in neurodegenerating disorders, and the capacity for cholesterol transport and recycling in the brain seems to be of importance for the development of such diseases.
- The possibility has been discussed that administration of inhibitors of cholesterol synthesis may reduce the prevalence of Alzheimer disease.
- No firm conclusions can, however, be drawn from the studies presented thus far.
- In the present review, the most recent advances in our understanding of cholesterol turnover in the brain is discussed.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 21 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 36 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2004 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 14764421) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 21 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 21 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 36 out of 100. |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
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