EFFECTS OF CHOLESTEROL REDUCTION ON BEHAVIOR

为了降低冠心病的风险，国家 胆固醇教育计划建议所有美国人采取饮食 限制胆固醇和脂肪的摄入。 然而， 降低胆固醇对患者健康和神经行为功能的影响 不明 目前，这种干预措施已被推荐为国家卫生 政策，努力检测任何重大的行为后遗症， 胆固醇的改变显然是必要的。 的其他理由 研究降低胆固醇对情绪和神经行为的影响 函数来自随机化主要 采用降低胆固醇干预措施的预防试验， 表明这种治疗与 自杀、事故和暴力造成的死亡。 其他初步 证据还表明，血清脂质降低可能与 神经化学和行为紊乱 因此， 拟议研究是：（a）确定胆固醇是否 降低与感知的健康，幸福和 神经心理学功能;和（B）探索 胆固醇降低对情绪、行为和神经化学指标的影响（例如， 中枢神经系统肾上腺素能活动）与消极情绪有关 （攻击性，抑郁）和冲动行为。 我们建议进行 行为和神经化学评估，治疗前和治疗期间， 300名高胆固醇血症患者被随机分配到一个有效的 降胆固醇治疗（洛伐他汀）或安慰剂。 另外100 具有期望的（未处理的）血清胆固醇水平的参与者将被 为了比较的目的，进行了类似的评估。

In an effort to reduce risk of coronary heart disease, the National Cholesterol Education Program advises all Americans to adopt diets restricting cholesterol and fat intake. However, the potential impact of cholesterol reduction on patient well-being and neurobehavioral functioning is unknown. As such intervention is now recommended as national health policy, efforts to detect any significant behavioral sequelae of cholesterol modification are clearly warranted. Additional rationale for studying effects of cholesterol reduction on mood and neurobehavioral function derives from quantitative evaluation of randomized primary prevention trials employing cholesterol-lowering interventions, which indicate that such treatment is associated with a significant increase in deaths attributable to suicides, accidents and violence. Other preliminary evidence also suggests that serum lipid reduction may be associated with neurochemical and behavioral disturbances. Accordingly, the purposes of the proposed study are: (a) to determine whether or not cholesterol lowering is associated with changes in perceived health, well-being and neuropsychological functioning; and (b) to explore potential effects of cholesterol reduction on mood, behavior and neurochemical indices (e.g., CNS serotonergic activity) relating specifically to negative affect (aggression, depression) and impulsive behavior. We propose to conduct behavioral and neurochemical assessments, prior to and during treatment, in 300 hypercholesterolemic individuals randomly assigned to a potent cholesterol-lowering therapy (lovastatin) or placebo. An additional 100 participants having desirable (untreated) serum cholesterol levels will be evaluated similarly for purposes of comparison.