Longitudinal study in an island community for aging effects on neurological findings and genetic factors on vascular dementia

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Purpose: To clarify aging effects on neurological findings and genetic factors related to vascular dementia, we analyzed neurological findings in elders living an island community and genetic factors in patients with cerebrovascular disorders (CVD).Methods and materials: 1) Neurological findings, dementia scale (MMSE) and dietary intake in the elders aged 60 year-old or over living in an island in Kagoshima, Japan were studied every other year. 2) Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene (II, ID, DD) and mitochondria 5178C/A polymorphism were analyzed in patients with CVD (127 cases) and the elders in an island (294 cases).Results: 1) The longitudinal study in the elders in an island. The score of MMSE in 590 elders was decreased with aging and the decrease ratio was higher in elders with aging. The incidence of cardiac disorders was significantly high in the elders without decrement of MMSE scale, but the incidence of renal disorders was high in the elders with decrement of the scale. Some dietary intake (tempura etc) showed negative correlation with MMSE score. 2) Genetic polymorphism and CVD. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphism, 5178C, was significantly dominant in patients with CVD (p<0.01). MtDNA5178C was also dominant in all CVD subtypes without statistical difference between CVD subtypes. The women CVD patients with mt5178C showed higher total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in serum. ACE genotypes and allele frequency were not different between CVD patients and control or between CVD subtypes.Conclusions: In this study, we showed the longitudinal change of dementia scale and the factors that might be related to the change in elders living in an island. We also demonstrated the genetic factors that might be related to the onset of CVD.