Epidemiology of Presenile Alzheimer's Disease in Scotland (1974–88)

1995 ◽  
Vol 167 (6) ◽  
pp. 732-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence J. Whalley ◽  
Brenda M. Thomas ◽  
John M. Starr
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Paternal Age ◽  
Survival Times ◽  
Coal Miners ◽  
Geographical Differences ◽  
Multifactorial Model ◽  
Low Incidence ◽  
Harmful Effects

Background and MethodWe related geographical variation of ‘probable’ presenile Alzheimer's disease (AD PSD) to exposures to possible risk factors for AD PSD and vascular dementia (VaD) and to geographical differences in survival times after presentation with AD PSD.ResultsWe found that an ecological measure of socio-economic deprivation was related to VaD but not to AD PSD. Among men with AD PSD and VaD, specific occupations conveyed no altered risk but having fathers who were coal miners was associated with AD PSD and VaD in offspring. Increased paternal age was associated with AD PSD but only in men. These factors acted independently of one another and did not distinguish between geographical areas of high and low incidence.ConclusionsThe length of survival after presentation with AD PSD distinguished between these areas, and when migration between these areas was taken into account, a plausible multifactorial model of the harmful effects of environment emerged, which acted independently of risk factors acting earlier in life.

scholarly journals Is Parental Age Related to the Risk of Alzheimer's Disease?

1990 ◽  
Vol 157 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Hofman ◽  
Cornelia M. Van Duijn ◽  
Willem Schulte ◽  
Theunis A. Tanja ◽  
Robert Haaxma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Age Effect ◽  
Paternal Age ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Parental Age ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Paternal Age Effect

Advanced maternal and paternal age were investigated as putative risk factors for AD in 198 clinically diagnosed Alzheimer patients and in 198 randomly selected healthy controls. No significant differences in average age of fathers and of mothers at birth of the subject were observed. The risk of AD was not significantly different across categories of maternal and paternal age. The association with parental age was not different for sporadic and familial AD. These findings do not support the view of a maternal or paternal age effect on AD.

scholarly journals Is Female Gender a Risk Factor for Alzheimer's Disease?

1999 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Swanwick ◽  
Brian A. Lawlor
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Gender Difference ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
Survival Times ◽  
Gender Differential ◽  
Crude Prevalence

Despite a growing list of potential new risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), one of the oldest remains controversial. Is female gender a risk factor for AD? It is likely that the greatest influence on the gender differential in crude prevalence rates is the increasing incidence of dementia with age (Paykel et al., 1994) combined with the greater longevity women (Moritz & Ostfeld, 1990). This must be distinguished from the hypothesis that there may also be a gender difference in the age-specific prevalence rates some dementias such as AD. In turn, this could be due to either a higher incidence dementia in women, or to longer survival times in women following diagnosis. What is the evidence for these hypotheses?

Elucidating the risk factors for progression from amyloid-negative amnestic mild cognitive impairment to dementia

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyung-Ji Kim ◽  
Jae-Hong Lee ◽  
E-nae Cheong ◽  
Sung-Eun Chung ◽  
Sungyang Jo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Amyloid Pet ◽  
Clinical Progression ◽  
Amnestic Mci

Background: Amyloid PET allows for the assessment of amyloid β status in the brain, distinguishing true Alzheimer’s disease from Alzheimer’s disease-mimicking conditions. Around 15–20% of patients with clinically probable Alzheimer’s disease have been found to have no significant Alzheimer’s pathology on amyloid PET. However, a limited number of studies had been conducted this subpopulation in terms of clinical progression. Objective: We investigated the risk factors that could affect the progression to dementia in patients with amyloid-negative amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: This study was a single-institutional, retrospective cohort study of patients over the age of 50 with amyloidnegative amnestic MCI who visited the memory clinic of Asan Medical Center with a follow-up period of more than 36 months. All participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), detailed neuropsychological testing, and fluorine-18[F18]-florbetaben amyloid PET. Results: During the follow-up period, 39 of 107 patients progressed to dementia from amnestic MCI. In comparison with the stationary group, the progressed group had a more severe impairment in verbal and visual episodic memory function and hippocampal atrophy, which showed an Alzheimer’s disease-like pattern despite the lack of evidence for significant Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Voxel-based morphometric MRI analysis revealed that the progressed group had a reduced gray matter volume in the bilateral cerebellar cortices, right temporal cortex, and bilateral insular cortices. Conclusion: Considering the lack of evidence of amyloid pathology, clinical progression of these subpopulation may be caused by other neuropathologies such as TDP-43, abnormal tau or alpha synuclein that lead to neurodegeneration independent of amyloid-driven pathway. Further prospective studies incorporating biomarkers of Alzheimer’s diseasemimicking dementia are warranted.

scholarly journals Examining the possible causal relationship between lung function, COPD and Alzheimer’s disease: a Mendelian randomisation study

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e000759
Author(s):  
Daniel Higbee ◽  
Raquel Granell ◽  
Esther Walton ◽  
Roxanna Korologou-Linden ◽  
George Davey Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Lung Function ◽  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Mendelian Randomisation ◽  
P Value ◽  
Unmeasured Confounding ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Shared Risk

RationaleLarge retrospective case-control studies have reported an association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reduced lung function and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, it remains unclear if these diseases are causally linked, or due to shared risk factors. Conventional observational epidemiology suffers from unmeasured confounding and reverse causation. Additional analyses addressing causality are required.ObjectivesTo examine a causal relationship between COPD, lung function and Alzheimer’s disease.MethodsUsing two-sample Mendelian randomisation, we used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in a genome wide association study (GWAS) for lung function as instrumental variables (exposure). Additionally, we used SNPs discovered in a GWAS for COPD in those with moderate to very severe obstruction. The effect of these SNPs on Alzheimer’s disease (outcome) was taken from a GWAS based on a sample of 24 807 patients and 55 058 controls.ResultsWe found minimal evidence for an effect of either lung function (OR: 1.02 per SD; 95% CI 0.91 to 1.13; p value 0.68) or liability for COPD on Alzheimer’s disease (OR: 0.97 per SD; 95% CI 0.92 to 1.03; p value 0.40).ConclusionNeither reduced lung function nor liability COPD are likely to be causally associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, any observed association is likely due to unmeasured confounding. Scientific attention and health prevention policy may be better focused on overlapping risk factors, rather than attempts to reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease by targeting impaired lung function or COPD directly.

scholarly journals Physical Mistreatment in Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla VandeWeerd ◽  
Gregory J. Paveza ◽  
Margaret Walsh ◽  
Jaime Corvin
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Conflict Resolution Strategy ◽  
Resolution Strategy

Physical mistreatment has been estimated to affect 2 million older persons each year and dramatically affects health outcomes. While researchers have attempted to examine risk factors for specific forms of abuse, many have been able to focus on only victim or perpetrator characteristics, or a limited number of psychosocial variables at any one time. Additionally, data on risk factors for subgroups such as persons with Alzheimer’s disease who may have heightened and/or unique risk profiles has also been limited. This paper examines risk for physical violence in caregiver/patient dyads who participated in the Aggression and Violence in Community-Based Alzheimer’s Families Grant. Data were collected via in-person interview and mailed survey and included demographics as well as measures of violence, physical and emotional health, and health behaviors. Logistic regression analysis indicated that caregivers providing care to elders with high levels of functional impairment or dementia symptoms, or who had alcohol problems, were more likely to use violence as a conflict resolution strategy, as were caregivers who were providing care to elders who used violence against them. By contrast, caregivers with high self-esteem were less likely to use violence as a conflict resolution strategy. Significant interaction effects were also noted.

scholarly journals Advanced cognitive impairment among older nursing home residents

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tadeja Gracner ◽  
Patricia W. Stone ◽  
Mansi Agarwal ◽  
Mark Sorbero ◽  
Susan L Mitchell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Advanced Disease ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Functional Score ◽  
Data Set

Abstract Background Though work has been done studying nursing home (NH) residents with either advanced Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or Alzheimer’s disease related dementia (ADRD), none have distinguished between them; even though their clinical features affecting survival are different. In this study, we compared mortality risk factors and survival between NH residents with advanced AD and those with advanced ADRD. Methods This is a retrospective observational study, in which we examined a sample of 34,493 U.S. NH residents aged 65 and over in the Minimum Data Set (2011–2013). Incident assessment of advanced disease was defined as the first MDS assessment with severe cognitive impairment (Cognitive Functional Score equals to 4) and diagnoses of AD or ADRD. Demographics, functional limitations, and comorbidities were evaluated as mortality risk factors using Cox models. Survival was characterized with Kaplan-Maier functions. Results Of those with advanced cognitive impairment, 35 % had AD and 65 % ADRD. At the incident assessment of advanced disease, those with AD had better health compared to those with ADRD. Mortality risk factors were similar between groups (shortness of breath, difficulties eating, substantial weight-loss, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pneumonia; all p < 0.01). However, stroke and difficulty with transfer (for women) were significant mortality risk factors only for those with advanced AD. Urinary tract infection, and hypertension (for women) only were mortality risk factors for those with advanced ADRD. Median survival was significantly shorter for the advanced ADRD group (194 days) compared to the advanced AD group (300 days). Conclusions There were distinct mortality and survival patterns of NH residents with advanced AD and ADRD. This may help with care planning decisions regarding therapeutic and palliative care.

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