Statins for vascular dementia: A hype or hope

Hussein A Rajab; Hayder M Al-Kuraishy; Mustafa M Shokr; Ali I Al-Gareeb; Nasser A Al-Harchan; Mubarak Alruwaili; Marios Papadakis; Athanasios Alexiou; Gaber El-Saber Batiha

doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.12.059

Statins for vascular dementia: A hype or hope

Neuroscience. 2024 Dec 31:567:45-55. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.12.059. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hussein A Rajab¹, Hayder M Al-Kuraishy², Mustafa M Shokr³, Ali I Al-Gareeb⁴, Nasser A Al-Harchan⁵, Mubarak Alruwaili⁶, Marios Papadakis⁷, Athanasios Alexiou⁸, Gaber El-Saber Batiha⁹

Affiliations

¹ Endocrinology Consultant, Medical School, Najran University, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq.
³ Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sinai University- Arish Branch, Arish, 45511, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, Jabir Ibn Hayyan Medical University, Kufa, Iraq.
⁵ Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Dentistry, Al-Rasheed University, Baghdad, Iraq.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Surgery II, University Hospital Witten-Herdecke, University of Witten-Herdecke, Heusnerstrasse 40, Wuppertal, 42283, Germany. Electronic address: drmariospapadakis@gmail.com.
⁸ University Centre for Research & Development, Chandigarh University, Mohali, India; Department of Science and Engineering, Novel Global Community Educational Foundation, Hebersham, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Research & Development, Funogen, Athens, Greece.
⁹ Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22511, AlBeheira, Egypt.

PMID: 39746645
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.12.059

Abstract

Vascular dementia (VaD) is a second most common type of dementia subsequent to Alzheimer disease (AD). VaD is characterized by cognitive impairment and memory loss that may progress due to the development of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) a hallmark of AD. CAA triggers the progression of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes with the subsequent the development of VaD and mixed dementia. Early diagnosis of patients with appropriate use of anti-inflammatory can prevent CAA-related inflammation and VaD development. Currently, there are no effective drugs in the management of VaD. Of note, cholesterol-lowering agent statins which are commonly used in patients with vascular diseases and dyslipidemia may affect the progression of VaD. Many previous studies highlighted the potential therapeutic efficacy of statins in treating VaD. Though, the underlying mechanisms of statins in prevention and treatment of VaD are not fully clarified. Consequently, this review aims to discuss the mechanistic role of statins in the management of VaD, and how statins may adversely affect the cognitive function in VaD patients.

Keywords: Cognitive function; Statins; Vascular dementia.

Publication types

Review