BACKGROUND: Growing evidence suggests that different statins are able to lower brain cholesterol synthesis. It is not clear yet whether lipophilic statins influence brain cholesterol in different way than hydrophilic ones. SOURCES OF MATERIAL: The MEDLINE database. FINDINGS: According to the data reported thus far, statins may influence brain cholesterol metabolism directly (because they are able to penetrate BBB no matter whether they are hydrophilic or lipophilic) and also indirectly (by lowering plasma cholesterol). Although the definite mechanism is not known yet, it becomes obvious that statins do not only influence peripheral but also central cholesterol pool. CONCLUSION: Better understanding of the effects of statins on brain metabolism becomes more important because many studies bring evidence of a possible link between cholesterol and neurodegeneration.

2nd Department of Internal Medicine Charles University Prague Medical Faculty in Hradec Králové and University Hospital Hradec Králové Velká Hranice Czech Republic

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