Gln192Arg polymorphism in paraoxonase 1 gene is associated with Alzheimer disease in a Chinese Han ethnic population / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Oxidative stress such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation is thought to be an important mechanism in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Paraoxonase 1 (PON1), an enzyme located on high-density lipoprotein, can prevent LDL from oxidation to some extent. It is also a potent cholinesterase inhibitor and an arylesterase, combating organophosphate poisoning and metabolization of environmental neurotoxins which might be responsible for neurodegeneration with aging. We evaluated the association of Gln192Arg polymorphism in the PON1 gene with AD in a Chinese Han ethnic population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients and age-matched controls were recruited from outpatient clinics and a population-based epidemiological survey, respectively. Gln192Arg polymorphism in the PON1 gene was detected by allele-specific PCR technique in 521 patients with AD and 578 healthy controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The presence of at least one of PON1 R alleles (Q/R or R/R) was lower in AD patients than in the controls (82.7% vs 87.4%; chi(2) = 4.68, P = 0.03). PON1 gene R allele frequency was lower in AD patients than in the controls (60.7% vs 64.7%; chi(2) = 3.85, P = 0.05). One-way ANOVA showed that PON1 genotype had no effect on the age of onset for developing AD. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated the age and sex-adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the risk of AD in PON1 of PON1 R allele carriers was 0.71 (P = 0.044, 95% CI, 0.51 - 0.99).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Our results indicate that Gln192Arg polymorphism in the PON1 gene is associated with AD, and PON1 R allele might be a protective factor for AD in a Chinese Han ethnic population.</p>

The incidence of dementia among elderly people in Xi' an, China / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the incidence of dementia among elderly people in Xi'an and its related risk factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Subjects that had been studied on the prevalence of dementia were follow-up, and the incidence of dementia, Alzheimer disease (AD) , and vascular dementia (VD) were counted by person-years. The clinical diagnosis on dementia,AD and VD were based upon the 3rd Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical of Manual of Mental Disorder, Revised version (DSM-III-R) and NINCDS-ADRDA criteria.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>2197 subjects of non-dementia being identified in 1998, were re-surveyed in 2001. Out of them, 47 new cases of dementia including 37 cases of AD and 8 cases of VD were identified, with an annual incidence rates of dementia, AD and VD as 0.68%, 0.54% and 0.12% among those of 55 years and over and 0.89%, 0.69% and 0.17% in 65 years and over, respectively. Analysis from single factor logistic regression showed that age and education but not gender were closely related to the occurrence of AD. On the contrary, age, hypertension and stroke were closely related to the occurrence of VD.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The incidence of dementia in the "Xi' an cohort" was similar to that being reported from other countries. AD and VD were an age-related diseases but education seemed to have had great protective effect while lack of formal education served as risk factor to AD.</p>

Association between Alzheimer's disease and nitric oxide synthase III polymorphism / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the association between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) III in Chinese Han population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-five AD and 68 normal controls were genotyped for NOS III G894T polymorphism. Genotyping was carried out by PCR-RFLP methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were two genotypes of NOS III, GG and GT, in either AD patients or normal controls. The frequencies of these two genotypes were 78.7% and 21.3% in AD patients and 82.4% and 17.6% in normal controls, respectively. No association was found between AD and NOS III genotype (P > 0.05). There were two alleles, G and T, in AD patients and normal controls. The frequencies of these two alleles were 89.3% and 10.7% in AD patients and 91.2% and 8.8% in normal controls, respectively, indicating that there was no association between AD and NOS III allels (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There was no association between AD and NOS III G894T polymorphism in Chinese Han population.</p>

A caregiver survey in Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai and Chengdu: health services status for the elderly with dementia / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>In order to rationally allocate resources and to improve the quality of life of people with dementia, it is necessary to assess their current health services status.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A population-based door-to-door caregiver survey was conducted in Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai and Chengdu in 1998. Totally 1 141 individuals with dementia were found among 34 807 residents aged 55 years and over on the basis of national prevalence study of dementia. Then 428 families with demented patients were randomly selected for questionare interview. Interviews were completed in 405 but refused by 23 families. Measurements included demographic characteristics of patients and their caregivers, perspective of the victim of the disease, current awareness of the disease and medical and welfare services provided.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 405 cases of dementia (including 298 cases of AD and 81 cases of VaD), mean MMSE scores were 16.3 +/- 5.3 for 157 mild cases, 12.7 +/- 5.4 for 135 moderate cases, and 6.2 +/- 5.8 for 110 severe cases. Most patients (96%) were cared for at home by family members. Among caregivers, 189 (48.8%) considered the impairment of cognition, behavior and daily living activity in demented persons as a result of normal aging. Half of the caregivers spend over 8 hours each day looking after the patient. Whether the caregivers brought their relatives with dementia to a doctor was determined by disease severity, i.e. 8.3% for mild, 13.5% for moderate, and 19.4% for severe in 1996 to approximately 1997 and 14.4%, 25.6% and 33.6%, respectively in 1998-1999. Of those, only 26.9% reported receiving a dementia diagnosis, and only 21.3% received a recommedation to take medication. However, there was no established standard treatment and only 2% patient's used Ache-I.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>General education is needed to increase the public awareness of dementia. For patients with dementia, early diagnosis, early treatment and optimal care are important to improve their quality of life.</p>

The correlation between Val66Met polymorphism in BDNF gene and Alzheimer's disease / 中华老年医学杂志

0.05).Our data also showed no significant association between the genotypes and the severity of the disease.One-way ANOVA showed that BDNF genotype had no association to the age of onset for developing AD.Conclusions Our results indicate that Va166Met SNP in BDNF gene is not associated with AD.