Can Cholesterol Metabolism Modulation Affect Brain Function and Behavior?

Cholesterol is an important component for cell physiology. It regulates the fluidity of cell membranes and determines the physical and biochemical properties of proteins. In the central nervous system, cholesterol controls synapse formation and function and supports the saltatory conduction of action potential. In recent years, the role of cholesterol in the brain has caught the attention of several research groups since a breakdown of cholesterol metabolism has been associated with different neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, and interestingly also with psychiatric conditions. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge about the connection between cholesterol dysregulation and various neurologic and psychiatric disorders based on clinical and preclinical studies. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 281-286, 2017. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Cholesterol plays an important role in brain functions and behavior. Cholesterol has been associated to different neurological diseases and to mood disorders. The correlation between plasma cholesterol levels and neurological diseases has to be carefully taken into consideration since brain cholesterol metabolism and content are completely separated from the rest of the body. Brain cholesterol metabolism could be a potential pharmacological targets to treat CNS diseases.