This meant that people who participated in all the tests would have taken them four times in total. The researchers said: "Statin use in the elderly population was not associated with any acceleration in decline in memory, global cognition, or brain volumes in community-dwelling elderly Australians." Statins are widely prescribed to lower cholesterol in people at risk of a heart attack or stroke. This study seems to suggest that fears over a link between statins and cognitive decline or memory loss are unfounded. The health body said that the research "seems to suggest" that any fears over a link between such medication and cognitive decline or memory loss are "unfounded". They filled in health questionnaires, were weighed and measured, and took a series of tests to assess their overall cognition and memory. Our. Doctors might be more likely to prescribe statins to people over 70 who seem to be mentally sharp, rather than people who already seem affected by memory loss. 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