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Dementia studies in Chinese populations

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Abstract

Variations in the prevalence of dementia in different ethnic groups have been reported worldwide, and a number of reviews have provided a picture of epidemiological studies in dementia research. However, little is known about epidemiological studies in Chinese populations. In this review, we searched PubMed and the Web of Science for original research articles published in English up to July 2013 on the prevalence, incidence, risk factors, and prognosis of dementia in Chinese populations worldwide. Except for the prevalence, we included only population-based follow-up studies. We identified 25 studies in elderly Chinese residents in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, and found a higher prevalence of dementia in Mainland China than in the other locations, which may be due to that the studies from Mainland China are more recent than those from other locations. A notable increase in incidence was observed when dementia cases were diagnosed using 10/66 diagnostic criteria compared to other criteria. Studies on risk factors for dementia were limited and mostly from Mainland China. Age, gender, education, smoking, and alcohol consumption were related to the risk of dementia in Chinese populations. Only two prognostic studies were identified, and age, gender, and residential area were related to the prognosis of dementia. In conclusion, the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for dementia found in Chinese populations were comparable to other ethnic groups, but no conclusive results on prognosis were found. The differences in prevalence and incidence were influenced by the diagnostic criteria and the time of study. Longitudinal population-based studies on the incidence, risk factors, and prognosis of dementia in Chinese populations are required.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China

    Jin-Jing Pei & Jianping Jia

  2. KI-Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden

    Jin-Jing Pei

  3. Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, 113 30, Stockholm, Sweden

    Hui-Xin Wang

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  1. Jin-Jing Pei
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  2. Maria Stella T. Giron
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  3. Jianping Jia
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  4. Hui-Xin Wang
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Correspondence to Hui-Xin Wang.

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Pei, JJ., Giron, M.S.T., Jia, J. et al. Dementia studies in Chinese populations. Neurosci. Bull. 30, 207–216 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-013-1420-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-013-1420-1

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