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Dementia and mortality in older adults: A twin study.
- Source :
-
Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association [Alzheimers Dement] 2024 Mar; Vol. 20 (3), pp. 1682-1692. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Dec 11. - Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Introduction: Dementia predicts increased mortality. We used case-control and co-twin control models to investigate genetic and shared environmental influences on this association.<br />Methods: Case-control design, including 987 twins with dementia and 2938 age- and sex-matched controls in the Swedish Twin Registry. Co-twin control design, including 90 monozygotic (MZ) and 288 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs discordant for dementia. To test for genetic and environmental confounding, differences were examined in mortality risk between twins with dementia and their matched or co-twin controls.<br />Results: Twins with dementia showed greater mortality risk than age- and sex-matched controls (HR = 2.02 [1.86, 2.18]). Mortality risk is significantly elevated but attenuated substantially in discordant twin pairs, for example, comparing MZ twins with dementia to their co-twin controls (HR = 1.48 [1.08, 2.04]).<br />Discussion: Findings suggest that genetic factors partially confound the association between dementia and mortality and provide an alternative hypothesis to increased mortality due to dementia itself. Highlights We studied dementia and mortality in twin pairs discordant for dementia. People without dementia outlived people with dementia. Identical twins with dementia and their co-twin controls had similar survival time. Findings suggest genotype may explain the link between dementia and mortality.<br /> (© 2023 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1552-5279
- Volume :
- 20
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 38078564
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.13553