Comments on: I’ll See You In Health! Stephen Colbert Rebuts Ridiculous Crestor Claim http://neuroprotectivelifestyle.com/the-end-of-psychology/ill-see-you-in-health-stephen-colbert-rebuts-ridiculous-crestor-claim/ forget what you've heard—you CAN change your brain Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:27:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kerry Friesen, M.D. http://neuroprotectivelifestyle.com/the-end-of-psychology/ill-see-you-in-health-stephen-colbert-rebuts-ridiculous-crestor-claim/comment-page-1/#comment-518 Kerry Friesen, M.D. Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:57:27 +0000 http://neuroprotectivelifestyle.com/?p=316#comment-518 Hi, eml256. There is no question that brain health is inextricably linked to cholesterol metabolism. I reserve statin use for only the most high risk individuals and even then carefully monitor them for cognitive changes. Subtle memory impairment is most common and not necessarily reversible when statins are discontinued. Clearly some patients are more vulnerable to the negative effects on memory and learning, especially those with limited cognitive reserve. I have an additional concern regarding widespread statin usage, namely that of targeting the higher risk pediatric population. From a neurodevelopmental standpoint, they clearly have more to lose if the hypothesis is indeed correct. Here is a news flash from a recently published Iowa State University study : "Yeon-Kyun Shin, a biophysics professor in the department of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, says the results of his study show that drugs that inhibit the liver from making cholesterol may also keep the brain from making cholesterol, which is vital to efficient brain function." No surprise given what we understand about cholesterol metabolism in the brain. Finally, a "prospective study" is in fact being undertaken as we speak! It is a purely observational study with no control group, no funding and no ethical oversite—it's called life, and it happens every time a prescription is written for a statin and full consideration is not given to the possible adverse neurological impact! Thanks for the comment. Come back. Let me know how things are progressing in your world! Hi, eml256.
There is no question that brain health is inextricably linked to cholesterol metabolism. I reserve statin use for only the most high risk individuals and even then carefully monitor them for cognitive changes. Subtle memory impairment is most common and not necessarily reversible when statins are discontinued. Clearly some patients are more vulnerable to the negative effects on memory and learning, especially those with limited cognitive reserve.
I have an additional concern regarding widespread statin usage, namely that of targeting the higher risk pediatric population. From a neurodevelopmental standpoint, they clearly have more to lose if the hypothesis is indeed correct. Here is a news flash from a recently published Iowa State University study :

“Yeon-Kyun Shin, a biophysics professor in the department of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, says the results of his study show that drugs that inhibit the liver from making cholesterol may also keep the brain from making cholesterol, which is vital to efficient brain function.”

No surprise given what we understand about cholesterol metabolism in the brain.

Finally, a “prospective study” is in fact being undertaken as we speak! It is a purely observational study with no control group, no funding and no ethical oversite—it’s called life, and it happens every time a prescription is written for a statin and full consideration is not given to the possible adverse neurological impact!

Thanks for the comment. Come back. Let me know how things are progressing in your world!

]]> By: eml256 http://neuroprotectivelifestyle.com/the-end-of-psychology/ill-see-you-in-health-stephen-colbert-rebuts-ridiculous-crestor-claim/comment-page-1/#comment-510 eml256 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:52:52 +0000 http://neuroprotectivelifestyle.com/?p=316#comment-510 Dr. Friesen, Am currently researching link btn statins (lipophilic ones) and neurodegenerative diseases. Prompted by anecdotal cases of 8 individuals with whom I am acquainted being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (ages 50-65) after Lipitor therapy (3 yrs -10 yrs) without positive fly hx. Only 2 of these are acquainted with each other--and only slightly. Statins's effects of interupted mevalonate pathway (and thus the isoprenoid products of this pathway) and decreased brain choelsterol provides sufficient experimental information to account for this class of drugs either inducing or unmasking neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Xuemei Huang, UNC Chapel Hill (http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/114026000/abstract), has proposed a prospective study to determine if a link btn statins and PD exists; Dr. Ralph Edwards, Director Drug Monitoring WHO, strongly advised a prospective study to determine an association btn statins and ALS-like syndrome. Last I was informed, Dr. Huang ahd not found funding for her study; am unaware of any prospective studies prompted by Dr. Edwards' report. Experimental evidence of increased toxicity in yeast model of PD from lovastatin reported today! http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/wifb-cga021809.php Could you share your opinio on this topic, if you have one? thanks Dr. Friesen, Am currently researching link btn statins (lipophilic ones) and neurodegenerative diseases. Prompted by anecdotal cases of 8 individuals with whom I am acquainted being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (ages 50-65) after Lipitor therapy (3 yrs -10 yrs) without positive fly hx. Only 2 of these are acquainted with each other–and only slightly. Statins’s effects of interupted mevalonate pathway (and thus the isoprenoid products of this pathway) and decreased brain choelsterol provides sufficient experimental information to account for this class of drugs either inducing or unmasking neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Xuemei Huang, UNC Chapel Hill (http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/114026000/abstract), has proposed a prospective study to determine if a link btn statins and PD exists; Dr. Ralph Edwards, Director Drug Monitoring WHO, strongly advised a prospective study to determine an association btn statins and ALS-like syndrome. Last I was informed, Dr. Huang ahd not found funding for her study; am unaware of any prospective studies prompted by Dr. Edwards’ report.
Experimental evidence of increased toxicity in yeast model of PD from lovastatin reported today!
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/wifb-cga021809.php
Could you share your opinio on this topic, if you have one?
thanks

]]> By: Kerry Friesen, M.D. http://neuroprotectivelifestyle.com/the-end-of-psychology/ill-see-you-in-health-stephen-colbert-rebuts-ridiculous-crestor-claim/comment-page-1/#comment-455 Kerry Friesen, M.D. Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:57:03 +0000 http://neuroprotectivelifestyle.com/?p=316#comment-455 Hi John. Vitamin C has a checkered history. Excessive amounts of any antioxidant trigger a pro-oxidant effect. A previous article addresses this very phenomenon. For a fairly exhaustive list of polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties, check out the "Eat Your Antioxidants or Else" post listed under "Molecular Detoxification". Hi John. Vitamin C has a checkered history. Excessive amounts of any antioxidant trigger a pro-oxidant effect. A previous article addresses this very phenomenon. For a fairly exhaustive list of polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties, check out the “Eat Your Antioxidants or Else” post listed under “Molecular Detoxification”.

]]> By: John Tedder http://neuroprotectivelifestyle.com/the-end-of-psychology/ill-see-you-in-health-stephen-colbert-rebuts-ridiculous-crestor-claim/comment-page-1/#comment-454 John Tedder Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:25:49 +0000 http://neuroprotectivelifestyle.com/?p=316#comment-454 You said, "There are better ways to reduce vascular inflammation. Taking a prescription medicine would be last on my list." Can you share what would be on your list? Do you think that high doses of vitamin C can help? Thank you. <abbr><em>John Tedder’s last blog post..<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/neurolife/~3/457119971/">I’ll See You In Health! Stephen Colbert Rebuts Ridiculous Crestor Claim</a></abbr></em> You said, “There are better ways to reduce vascular inflammation. Taking a prescription medicine would be last on my list.” Can you share what would be on your list?
Do you think that high doses of vitamin C can help?
Thank you.

John Tedder’s last blog post..I’ll See You In Health! Stephen Colbert Rebuts Ridiculous Crestor Claim

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