Epidemiology of vascular dementia

Yutaka Kiyohara

Department of Environmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University

A highly accurate prospective cohort study has been conducted in the elderly of the town of Hisayama in Japan since 1985 to elucidate the trends in the prevalence of dementia as well as its risk and protective factors. In this population, the prevalence of vascular dementia (VaD) did not significantly change from 1985 to 2005. Our prospective study revealed that the age- and sex-adjusted incidence of VaD significantly increased in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes compared to those with normal glucose tolerance, but this association attenuated after adjusting for other risk factors, while the risk of developing VaD significantly increased with elevating 2-hour post-load glucose levels. Midlife and late-life hypertensions were significant risk factors for VaD. Meanwhile, a higher adherence to a dietary pattern which was roughly correspondent to a customary Japanese diet rich in vegetables in addition to milk and dairy products was associated with lower risk of VaD in our subjects.

Address correspondence to Dr. Yutaka Kiyohara, Department of Environmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University(3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan)