VASCULAR RISKS AND INCIDENT DEMENTIA - RESULTS FROM A COHORT STUDY OFTHE VERY OLD

The contribution of vascular pathology to the manifestation of dementi a and the importance of vascular risk to measures of cognitive functio n is being increasingly recognized. In particular, confirmation of thi s risk points towards approaches for prevention in large sections of t he population. Information on determinants of incident dementia is inc reasing, but still relatively few studies of risk have been based on i ncident cases of dementia in very elderly populations. In this study b ased on incident cases of dementia in a population Gaged 75 and over, vascular risks were obtained from informants of the respondents with i ncident dementia. When compared with controls the factors associated w ith incident dementia were history of heart attack (odds ratio 2.9), t ransient ischaemic attacks (4.8), cerebrovascular accidents (3.4), fam ily history of first-degree relatives with dementia (4.0), and occupat ional exposure to vibrating instruments (1.4). If only Alzheimer's dis ease, clinically diagnosed, was included, diabetes (1.4) and a history of dementia in first-degree relatives (6.6) emerged. Thus, vascular r isk continues to be of importance in the oldest age groups.