Cholesterol is a type of naturally occurring fat needed by the body, but too much cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the arteries. There are two types of cholesterol in humans―HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein). LDL is considered the "bad" kind of cholesterol responsible for plaque buildup. HDL is the "good" kind that, in high levels, can prevent atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis can lead to heart attack. The American Heart Association estimates that a heart attack occurs every 34 seconds in the United States.
Due to the differences in the make-up of mice and human cholesterol, Tschöp and his team say more work is needed before their studies could be directly applied to humans, but they say their finding adds to a growing body of evidence for the central nervous system's direct control over essential metabolic processes.
Source-Eurekalert