Cholesterol Levels Critical - Another Mechanism for Statin Associated Behaviora

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Cholesterol Levels Critical for

Golgi Apparatus Function

Another Mechanism for Statin Associated Behavioral Change

http://www.spacedoc.net/statins_behavior.html

 

We now have thousands of case reports of statin associated behavioral change.

Road rage, extraordinary hostility, profound depression, even basic

personality changes (“that is not my husbandâ€) are frequently reported.

 

In my book, Statin Drugs Side Effects, I have mentioned the Golgi apparatus

in my discussions of neuropeptide formation and function, key to explaining

behavioral side effects of the statin class of drugs. I have previously

postulated a possible role of statins on this extremely complex structure. The

Golgi

apparatus, along with a tubular network called the endoplasmic reticulum, is

present in every cell in our body, controlling vital cell interactions. Now our

scientists are just beginning to reveal the actual mechanics of cholesterol’s

role in statin associated behavioral change – another pathway not yet dreamed

of only a year ago.

 

Reporting in Science recently, Wang and Anderson have discovered a critical

role for cell cholesterol in the Golgi apparatus role of cell signaling. They

found that oxysterol binding protein (OSBP) is a cholesterol-binding “

scaffolding†protein vital to the control of signaling pathways within the

Golgi

apparatus. These researchers found this vital pathway extremely sensitive to

cholesterol levels within the cells. When intracellular cholesterol was lowered

by

whatever means, profound degradation of this signaling pathway resulted.

 

Although statins were not used in this experiment, there is no doubt that the

effects of statins on this pathway could be profound in susceptible

individuals. This adds another mechanism, that of intracellular cholesterol

lowering,

to the already established mechanism of dolichol inhibition in explaining the

great variety of behavioral side effects associated with statin drug use. Both

of these mechanisms come to play in the delicate process of neuropeptide

formation and transport through the Golgi apparatus and endothelial reticulum.

These peptides then must pass through the central canals of our axons to

receptors

elsewhere in the body. Just the process of axonal delivery of biochemicals is

completely alien to most physicians trained earlier than 1980. Physicians

then had no information either of neuropeptides or this novel delivery system in

their training, so digesting the potential effects of a statin drug on

signaling systems within the Golgi apparatus and altered neuropeptide formation

during transit through the endoplasmic reticulums does not come easily to their

understanding. Even younger doctors are surprised to learn that cellular

inter-communication, our very thoughts, sensation and emotions, are no longer

the

province of our traditional hormonal and autonomic nervous system but rather

this

novel neuropeptide thing. Is it any surprise they many physicians have

difficulty accepting that such behavioral changes as aggressiveness, hostility,

homicidal thoughts, depression and suicide are associated with statin drug use?

 

Duane Graveline MD MPH