Not enough 'good' cholesterol makes it harder to recover from stroke

People are at an increased risk of memory problems and greater disability after stroke if they have low levels of “good” cholesterol and high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid acquired mostly from eating meat. The findings are published in the November 27, 2007, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

“These findings show metabolic stress plays a significant role in stroke recovery,” said study author George C. Newman, MD, PhD, with Albert Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia, PA, and member of the American Academy of Neurology.

The study involved 3,680 men and women over age 35 in the United States, Canada, and Scotland who had suffered a mild to moderate stroke within the past three months. The participants underwent cognitive and disability tests and were followed for two years.

Researchers found several factors predicted memory and disability problems after stroke: increased age, non-Caucasian race, recurrent stroke, diabetes, stroke in the left hemisphere of the brain, higher levels of homocysteine and lower levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), otherwise known as “good” cholesterol.

“People with low levels of HDL, high levels of homocysteine, and diabetes are twice as likely as those without such problems to have poorer cognitive function and greater disability after stroke,” said Newman. “The study also found stroke recovery was the most difficult for people over the age of 57 with high levels of homocysteine, which is a risk factor for heart problems and associated with low levels of vitamin B6, B12, folic acid and kidney disease.”

Newman says it’s unclear why these factors are contributing to a slower stroke recovery and more research is needed. “We need to focus our attention on identifying and treating these vascular risk factors since they can be modified.”

Source: American Academy of Neurology

Related stories:

Study finds B-vitamin deficiency may cause vascular cognitive impairment
A deficiency of B-vitamins may cause vascular cognitive impairment, according to a new study. Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University used an experimental model to examine the metabolic, cognitive, and microvascular effects of dietary B-vitamin deficiency. Their findings appear in the August 26, 2008 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
For coronary artery disease patients, B vitamins may not reduce cardiovascular events
In a large clinical trial involving patients with coronary artery disease, use of B vitamins was not effective for preventing death or cardiovascular events, according to a study published in the August 20 issue of JAMA.
10 percent of healthy people in study had injury from 'silent strokes'
A recent study found that about 10 percent of the apparently healthy middle-aged participants with no symptoms of stroke were injured from "silent strokes," researchers report in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.


The good news in our DNA: Defects you can fix with vitamins and minerals
As the cost of sequencing a single human genome drops rapidly, with one company predicting a price of $100 per person in five years, soon the only reason not to look at your "personal genome" will be fear of what bad news lies in your genes.
Folic acid, B vitamins not linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular events in high-risk women
Women at high-risk of cardiovascular disease who took a daily supplement of folic acid and vitamin B6 and B12 for seven years did not have an overall reduced rate of cardiovascular events, despite a significant lowering of homocysteine levels, according to a study in the May 7 issue of JAMA.
Researchers discover gene behind devastating vitamin B12-related disorder
Swiss, British and Canadian researchers have identified the gene responsible for a rare but serious genetic disorder and have simultaneously provided more clues as to how vitamin B12 works in the body. Their results will be published April 3 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Impact of elevated homocysteine levels on vision under study
Homocysteine, an amino acid believed to contribute to heart attack, stroke and dementia, likely also is a player in retinal damage and vision loss, researchers say.
Indicators for risk of heart disease are higher in passive smokers
Exposure to second-hand smoke at work, home or elsewhere results in a disproportionate rise in markers that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, University of Nottingham researchers have found.

News discussion:

Medicine & Health news