Family History of Dementia in Old-Age Participants with Subjective Memory Complaints Predicts Own Risk for Dementia in a Longitudinal Multi-Center Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Subjective memory complaints and family history of dementia are possibly intertwined risk factors for the own subsequent dementia risk and Alzheimer's disease. However, their interaction has rarely been studied.

OBJECTIVE

To study the association between subjective memory complaints and family history of dementia with regard to the own subsequent risk of dementia.

METHODS

Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses over a follow-up period of up to 13 years were conducted in a population sample of participants without dementia at baseline (n = 3,256, mean age = 79.62 years), using group comparisons and Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

Cross-sectionally, participants with subjective memory complaints were significantly more likely to report family history of dementia. Longitudinally, family history of dementia (FH) was significantly associated with subsequent dementia in the subjective memory complaints (SMC) group, but not in those without SMC. A relative excess risk due to interaction analysis confirmed a significant FHxSMC-interaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Family history of dementia was a predictor of incident dementia in those with SMC, which can serve as an additional, clinically relevant criterion to gauge the risk of dementia in older-aged subjects with SMC with and without objective cognitive impairment.

Family history and its relationship with dementia stigma beliefs among Chinese Americans

AIM

It is known that Chinese Americans associate dementia with stigma and "loss of face." However, further research is required to provide a more complete picture of the extent and nature of stigma in Chinese Americans with family histories of dementia (FHD). The present study examined whether FHD are associated with quantitative measures of stigma in Chinese Americans.

METHODS

A total of 300 Chinese Americans in two health seminars answered a 15-item, true/false questionnaire to assess their beliefs toward dementia. Two groups were dichotomized and compared based on FHD.

RESULTS

Both groups subscribed to moderately stigmatizing views about dementia. Our findings showed that the group with FHD was more likely to disclose having relatives with dementia. However, this group was also more likely to perceive patients with dementia to be incapable of feeling other people's worries or concerns at once.

CONCLUSIONS

Strategies to decrease stigma toward dementia are required. Cultural interventions must also extend into the Chinese American general public to reduce stigma of dementia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 122-125.

High medical co-morbidity and family history of dementia is associated with lower cognitive function in older patients

BACKGROUND

Risk factors for cognitive decline in ageing are multifactorial, including medical co-morbidities and familial genetic risk.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of medical co-morbidity and family history of dementia on cognitive performance in older outpatients of family practitioners.

METHODS

Analysis of 535 outpatients from 11 practices aged 65 and older, without a diagnosis of dementia. Information on medical co-morbidities, family history of dementia and cognitive test data were obtained.

RESULTS

Patients were classified into high or low medical co-morbidities (<7 versus >8) and positive or negative family history of dementia. After controlling for age, education, gender and depression, global cognitive test scores, as well as memory, executive function, spatial ability and attention were significantly lower for persons having a high number of medical co-morbidities. Cognitive test scores were not significantly different for persons with or without a family history of dementia. A significant interaction between medical co-morbidities and family history of dementia was observed for the global cognitive score, executive function and spatial ability. Those persons with a high number of medical co-morbidities and positive family history of dementia had the lowest performance. Separate regression analysis assessing individual disease risk factors (e.g. hypertension and diabetes) did not find any relationship between specific medical variables and cognitive test scores for any of the subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

A high number of medical co-morbidities in addition to a reported family history of dementia are particularly detrimental to cognitive performance in elderly non-demented family practice patients.

Family history of dementia does not influence the progression of Alzheimer's disease at two years: results from the REAL.FR Study

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a family history of dementia in a first-degree relative influenced the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) after two years of follow-up. Patients were recruited in the REAL.FR (Réseau sur la Maladie d'Alzheimer Français) study and underwent behavioral, global, nutritional, and medical evaluation with assessment of cognitive function and independence every six months. At inclusion, 113 patients reported a family history of dementia, and 358 patients had no family history of dementia. There was no statistical difference for any factors between the two groups at baseline. After two years of follow-up, a similar percentage of patients were still followed in each group, and although most parameters showed significant deterioration, there was no difference between the two groups, indicating that a family history of dementia does not appear to influence the progression of AD.