1. [Dementia in the very elderly. Results of the Berlin Aging Study].
- Author
-
Reischies FM, Geiselmann B, Gessner R, Kanowski S, Wagner M, Wernicke F, and Helmchen H
- Subjects
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Apolipoprotein E4, Apolipoproteins E genetics, Berlin epidemiology, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dementia diagnosis, Dementia genetics, Female, Genotype, Humans, Incidence, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Risk Factors, Sex Factors, Dementia epidemiology, Urban Population statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
The frequency of dementia in very old subjects, the risk factors and the consequences of the disease were investigated in the Berlin Aging Study in an age- and gender-stratified design (ages 70-103 years, n = 516). Psychiatrists diagnosed a dementia syndrome according to DSM-III-R, applying the GMS-A and HAS interviews. The dementia frequency steeply increases until the 90-94 year group, but there is no further exponential increase for the 95+ group--instead for men the data show a plateau of dementia prevalence. Low education level turned out to be a risk factor, which explains the gender effect in a logistic regression analysis. The apolipoprotein E4 genotype was confirmed as a risk factor--however, only for the older subjects (85+). Dementia was a major reason for institutionalization. The 2-year mortality was no higher in dementia than for age-matched non-demented controls. The results gave a detailed picture of dementia in the very old. This is a prerequisite for planning facilities for psychiatric diagnostics and therapy as well as nursing care.
- Published
- 1997
- Full Text
- View/download PDF