Abstract
While the relation of most risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains to be confirmed, the risk of AD increases strongly with age, suggesting that genetic and environmental factors which influence aging of the brain may play an important part. Family history of dementia, increasing age, and the presence of Down’s syndrome are proven risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, and in some families, specific chromosomal mutations have been identified. However, the role of these genes in late-onset AD, which concerns the vast majority of patients in the population, is limited; ApoE gene on chromosome 19 seems to play a part and the possession of apoE4 increases the risk. Other risk factors implicated in the disease include head injury, female sex, hypothyroidism, and depression, with education, smoking, and use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents being protective [1,2].
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Zanetti, O., Bianchetti, A., Govoni, S., Trabucchi, M. (1997). Estrogen Replacement Therapy and Cognitive Functions in Elderly Women. In: Paoletti, R., Crosignani, P.G., Kenemans, P., Samsioe, G., Soma, M.R., Jackson, A.S. (eds) Women’s Health and Menopause. Medical Science Symposia Series, vol 11. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5560-1_25
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5560-1_25
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