BrightFocus Foundation
BrightFocus Foundation

Statins and Long-Term Risk of Dementia after Concussion

Principal Investigator

Donald Redelmeier, MD

Donald Redelmeier, MD

Sunnybrook Research Institute
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Acknowledgement
This grant is made possible by a bequest from the Lillian H. Reeves Annuity.

Project Goals

Concussion affects about one million North Americans each year, disproportionately involving people over age 65 years (seniors). Alzheimer’s disease is a potential long-term consequence of concussion in seniors, and strategies to prevent such subsequent disorders are a priority for research. Recent studies suggest that statins (cholesterol lowering medications) have protective effects that might prevent short-term complications of concussion by reducing brain swelling, preserving blood flow, lessening inflammation, and preventing cell death. We propose a computerized study linking multiple healthcare databases (anticipated sample size = 30,000, median follow-up duration = 10 years) to test whether statin treatment might decrease the risk of subsequent dementia in seniors following a concussion.

Project Summary

We hypothesize that statins might lower the risk of dementia after a concussion. We are conducting a population-based study linking multiple healthcare databases to test whether statin treatment is associated with a decreased risk of subsequent dementia among seniors following a concussion. The study population consists of senior adults diagnosed with an acute concussion in Ontario, Canada. Our primary outcome is the incidence of subsequent dementia over a ten-year median follow-up. Our pilot data suggest that statin medications might be associated with a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in the subsequent risk of dementia following a concussion. 

If successful, this study may identify a new strategy for preventing neurodegenerative disorders in seniors after a concussion.

Publications

Redelmeier DA, Manzoor F, Thiruchelvam D. Association Between Statin Use and Risk of Dementia After a Concussion. JAMA Neurol. 2019 May 20. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2019.1148. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31107515; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6537780 PubMed Icon Google Scholar Icon

Redelmeier DA, Manzoor F, Thiruchelvam D. Association Between Statin Use and Risk of Dementia After a Concussion. JAMA Neurol. 2019 May 20. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2019.1148. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31107515< PubMed Icon Google Scholar Icon

Redelmeier DA, Detsky AS. Clinical Action against Drunk Driving. PLoS Med. 2017 Feb 14;14(2):e1002231. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002231. PubMed Icon Google Scholar Icon

Redelmeier DA, Naqib F, Thiruchelvam D, R Barrett JF. Motor vehicle crashes during pregnancy and cerebral palsy during infancy: a longitudinal cohort analysis. BMJ Open. 2016 Sep 20;6(9):e011972. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011972. PubMed PMID: 27650764. PubMed Icon Google Scholar Icon  

First published on: July 10, 2015

Last modified on: November 22, 2024