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Cholesterol metabolism in aging simultaneously altered in liver and nervous system
Nunes VS, da Silva Ferreira G, Quintão ECR.. Aging, 2022-02-07
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
In humans, aging, triggers increased plasma concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins and lower capacity of high-density lipoproteins to remove cellular cholesterol. Studies in rodents showed that aging led to cholesterol accumulation in the liver and decrease in the brain with reduced cholesterol synthesis and increased levels of cholesterol 24-hydroxylase, an enzyme responsible for removing cholesterol from the brain. Liver diseases are also related to brain aging, inducing changes in cholesterol metabolism in the brain and liver of rats.
Key findings
- Studies in rodents showed that aging led to cholesterol accumulation in the liver and decrease in the brain with reduced cholesterol synthesis and increased levels of cholesterol 24-hydroxylase, an enzyme responsible for removing cholesterol from the brain.
- Liver diseases are also related to brain aging, inducing changes in cholesterol metabolism in the brain and liver of rats.
- It has been suggested that late onset Alzheimer's disease is associated with metabolic syndrome.
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver is associated with lower total brain volume in the Framingham Heart Study offspring cohort study.
Why it matters
This study describes how aging alters cholesterol metabolism in the liver and nervous system, drawing on rodent studies and suggesting a link between late-onset Alzheimer's disease and metabolic syndrome. Much of the evidence comes from animals, so it is preliminary and cannot show that changing cholesterol metabolism would treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease in people.
Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Aging: journal h-index 162 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2022 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 60 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.0 citations a year over 6 year(s) since 2022 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 48 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Eder C.R. Quintão: h-index 33 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Universidade de São Paulo: institution h-index 936 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 35130181) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Nunes, V. S., da Silva Ferreira, G., & Quintão, E. C. R. (2022). Cholesterol metabolism in aging simultaneously altered in liver and nervous system. Aging. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.203880
Vancouver
Nunes VS, da Silva Ferreira G, Quintão ECR. Cholesterol metabolism in aging simultaneously altered in liver and nervous system. Aging. 2022. doi:10.18632/aging.203880. PMID: 35130181.
BibTeX
@article{nunes2022-35130181,
author = {Nunes, V. S. and da Silva Ferreira, G. and Quintão, E. C. R.},
title = {{Cholesterol metabolism in aging simultaneously altered in liver and nervous system}},
journal = {Aging},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.18632/aging.203880},
pmid = {35130181},
url = {https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.203880}
}
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