Investigating the relationship between cholesterol levels and the risk of developing MND.
Principal Investigator: Dr Alexander Thompson
Lead Institution: University of Oxford
MND Association Funding: £183,092
Funding dates: January 2024 - January 2026
About the project
Previous research has suggested that cholesterol can influence the risk of developing MND. Higher levels of LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) and lower levels of HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol) have been shown to be associated with a higher risk of MND. At the moment, research into cholesterol and MND has only been completed for people living with the disease. Researchers are now looking to see if people who have a gene change that increases their risk of developing MND in the future, but are not currently showing symptoms, also have this relationship between cholesterol and MND. If so, strategies could be put in place to potentially reduce the risk of developing MND. This project will use data collected through routine health screening of millions of people to see if cholesterol levels do impact the development of MND in people who are at high risk due to carrying a MND gene. The project will also use this data to see if drugs that lower cholesterol levels can be used to reduce the risk of MND.
What could this mean for MND research?
Identifying and understanding more about the factors that increase someone’s risk of developing MND could help to identify strategies to reduce this risk and potentially delay the onset of symptoms. This project aims to identify if cholesterol levels are a risk factor and if using cholesterol lowering drugs can lower the risk of developing MND.
Project code: 896-791