Low cholesterol is a risk factor for attentional impulsivity in patients with mood symptoms

This study examined the relationship between cholesterol levels and impulsivity in a large sample of patients with mood symptoms. Three hundred and one patients with mood, anxiety, and personality disorders completed a battery of psychometric scales including the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Version 11 (BIS-11) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). On the same day of psychometric assessment, blood samples were analyzed for total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Statistical analysis controlling for the confounding effects of age, gender, diagnosis, and current mood symptoms showed that lower TC levels were associated with increased attentional impulsivity. There was a weak linear correlation between TC and attentional impulsivity across the entire range of TC levels (110-295 mg/dL) but a highly significant difference between participants with TC levels lower than 165 mg/dL and the rest of the sample. The current study adds to the growing body of evidence pointing to the association between serum cholesterol and mental health. Considering that attentional impulsivity is a demonstrated risk factor for suicide, patients presenting with low cholesterol and mood symptoms may warrant increased clinical attention and surveillance.