Control of Several Pathologies
Although its role in the atherosclerosis process is known, cholesterol is also involved in much other pathology, like Alzheimer’s, Huntington, infertility and certain forms of autism.
So it’s important to know its mechanisms to handle the conditions under which it is involved.
To determine alterations of cholesterol metabolism is important in understanding many diseases in which is involved not only atherosclerosis. Miguel Lasuncion, head of Research Department of Biochemistry, Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Madrid has coordinated the International Symposium Cholesterol metabolism, actions and changes that took place in the Ramon Areces Foundation of Medical Journal Madrid.h explained that the objective of the meeting was to review the basics of biology of this molecule.
“Although it is well established the relationship between cholesterol and atherosclerosis has been reviewed in the context of the disease and to understand aspects of cardiovascular disease.
The brain has a very active cholesterol metabolism and is required for the formation of myelin. Therefore, their changes affect their function, so it has been linked to neurodegenerative disorders, like Alzheimer’s and Huntington.
However, “we are still in early stages of research and begin to relate to some aspects, but it is too early to think about therapeutic options, among other things because these are diseases in which multiple genes are involved, making them difficult to handle.
For now, the lowering used in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders have no role in these other injuries, “as cholesterol metabolism in the brain is different from vascular. Synthesized in the very fabric of the cholesterol it needs and just reflected in blood. ”
There are also controversial data, especially in the potential benefits of those taking statins and the prevention of Alzheimer’s, a situation that is absent in all subjects.
It is still difficult to handle Alzheimer’s patients in which cholesterol is altered. There are chemicals that can cross the brain barrier and inhibit the cholesterol synthesis, but in many cases is not what we want. “It is contrary to what happens in the rest of the organism, what is sought is not inhibit cholesterol synthesis, since it is necessary and essential for cognitive functions.
Fertility
The involvement of cholesterol is also present in fertility problems, eg in gametogenesis. “There are cases of altered proteins that influence cholesterol fertility, but it is difficult to know how we can influence. We are still far from controlling these diseases by addressing the changes in cholesterol.
We also saw that is involved in psychiatric disorders and some forms of autism. “Not all cases of autism are related, but some children born with severe malformations have symptoms of autism and some improve when given cholesterol.”