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Serum cholesterol and cognitive performance in the Framingham Heart Study
Elias PK, Elias MF, D'Agostino RB, Sullivan LM, Wolf PA.. Psychosomatic medicine, 2005-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between total cholesterol (TC) and cognitive performance within the context of the Framingham Heart Study, a large, community-based, prospective investigation of cardiovascular risk factors. Methods Participants were 789 men and 1105 women from the Framingham Heart Study original cohort who were free of dementia and stroke and who received biennial TC determinations over a 16- to 18-year surveillance period. Cognitive tests were administered 4 to 6 years subsequent to the surveillance period and consisted of measures of learning, memory, attention/concentration, abstract reasoning, concept formation, and organizational abilities.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Elias, P. K., Elias, M. F., D'Agostino, R. B., Sullivan, L. M., & Wolf, P. A. (2005). Serum cholesterol and cognitive performance in the Framingham Heart Study. Psychosomatic medicine. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.psy.0000151745.67285.c2
Vancouver
Elias PK, Elias MF, D'Agostino RB, Sullivan LM, Wolf PA. Serum cholesterol and cognitive performance in the Framingham Heart Study. Psychosomatic medicine. 2005. doi:10.1097/01.psy.0000151745.67285.c2. PMID: 15673620.
BibTeX
@article{elias2005-15673620,
author = {Elias, P. K. and Elias, M. F. and D'Agostino, R. B. and Sullivan, L. M. and Wolf, P. A.},
title = {{Serum cholesterol and cognitive performance in the Framingham Heart Study}},
journal = {Psychosomatic medicine},
year = {2005},
doi = {10.1097/01.psy.0000151745.67285.c2},
pmid = {15673620},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/01.psy.0000151745.67285.c2}
}
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Key findings
- Methods Participants were 789 men and 1105 women from the Framingham Heart Study original cohort who were free of dementia and stroke and who received biennial TC determinations over a 16- to 18-year surveillance period.
- Cognitive tests were administered 4 to 6 years subsequent to the surveillance period and consisted of measures of learning, memory, attention/concentration, abstract reasoning, concept formation, and organizational abilities.
- Statistical models were adjusted for multiple demographic and biological covariates.
- Results There was a significant positive linear association between TC and measures of verbal fluency, attention/concentration, abstract reasoning, and a composite score measuring multiple cognitive domains.
Why it matters
This study examined whether long-term total cholesterol levels relate to thinking abilities in people free of dementia and stroke. It is observational and does not test whether lowering cholesterol affects dementia risk.
Study details
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 44/100
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.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Psychosomatic medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Psychosomatic Medicine: journal h-index 293 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| 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 | 1 / 5 | 2005 — 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 168 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.3 citations a year over 23 year(s) since 2005 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 9 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Philip A. Wolf: h-index 149 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Boston University: institution h-index 1,456 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 15673620) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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