engleski

Regional aspects of collaborative studies in aging and dementias

In the research of processes of brain aging and demential it has been early postulated that in their origins and pathophysiology the variety of "complex interactions of hereditary and environmental influences" play different roles in the clinical and pathologic issues, resulting in the syndrome of dementia. In spite of clinical and pathologic differences some common biochemical and structural elements have been recognized, indicating the possibility of the existence of a final common pathway, specifically in cases of Alzheimer's Disease. Like in many other neurological diseases it has been hypothesized that in the development of Alzheimer's Diseases various risk and causal factors may have a certain role: age, genetic factors, head injury, depression, low education, low IQ, high maternal age, hypothyroidism, myocardial infarct in the very elderly, aluminum or other toxic factors, infectious agent. The present status of research in this field calls for further studies of various kinds, especially the coordinated neuroepidemiologic investigations supported by relevant laboratory analyses. With such premises in mind a group of neurologists from the region, represented by Austrian, Italian, Slovenian and Croatian neurologists met in 1988 and 1989 in Ljubljana and Venice in order to initiate a complex study of regional character, in line with previous neuropidemiological investigations. A special impetus for this investigation was a starting point, that people living in the region, although belonging to various nations and in spite of some differences of living styles, belong basically to the same culture. That would enable making comparisons in analyses of environmental, social or economic factors, potentially responsible for the different kinds of dementia syndrome. The war which developed after the aggression of Yugoslav army to the three republics of the former Yugoslavia has delayed this program, which could be restored after the return of peace to these territories.

aging; dementia; risk factors; neuroepidemiology

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