Neurology
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Comparative Study
The metabolic syndrome is associated with decelerated cognitive decline in the oldest old.
The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors including hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and impaired glucose metabolism, associated with cardiovascular disease. The metabolic syndrome also appears to predispose to cognitive dysfunction and dementia. In this study the association between the metabolic syndrome and cognitive function was examined in a population of the oldest old. ⋯ The association between the metabolic syndrome and accelerated cognitive decline, which has been reported in persons up to age 75, is not evident in a population of the oldest old. The concept of the metabolic syndrome may be less valid in this age group.
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Comparative Study
Relation between smoking and risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease: the Rotterdam Study.
Previous studies relating smoking with the risk of dementia have been inconsistent and limited in their validity by short follow-up times, large intervals between baseline and follow-up assessments, and unspecific determination of dementia diagnosis. We re-assessed after longer follow-up time in the large population-based cohort of the Rotterdam Study whether smoking habits and pack-years of smoking are associated with the risk of dementia, Alzheimer disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD). ⋯ Current smoking increases the risk of dementia. This effect is more pronounced in persons without the APOEepsilon4 allele than APOEepsilon4 carriers.