New research presented at ESC Congress 2026 suggests that statins may be associated with a lower risk of dementia among people with type 2 diabetes. In a large nationwide Danish study of more than 132,000 adults newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, researchers found that those who started statin therapy within one year of diagnosis had a 15% lower relative risk of developing dementia over 10 years compared with those who did not receive statins. Those who started treatment later, between one and five years after diagnosis, also saw a reduced risk, though the benefit was smaller at 10%.
The findings are particularly relevant because both type 2 diabetes and elevated LDL cholesterol are recognized risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia. Researchers noted that statins are already widely recommended to reduce cardiovascular risk in people with diabetes, and the study suggests that timely treatment may offer an additional cognitive health benefit.
However, the researchers caution that this was an observational study, meaning it cannot prove that statins directly prevent dementia. Still, the results add to growing evidence that addressing cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors may play an important role in supporting long-term brain health and dementia prevention.
Learn more about the study and its implications for dementia prevention and brain health.
