Risk factors for late‐ onset Alzheimer's disease: A population‐ based, case‐control study

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Abstract
Our current Knowledge of risk factors for Alzheimer's disease is limited and primarily addresses early‐onset disease. This study aimed to determine the risk factors for late‐onset Alzheimer's disease using a case‐control approach. Ninetyeight case and 216 controls were gathered from an ongoing population survey on aging and dementia in Stockholm (the Kungsholmen Project). We found a high relative risk (3.2;95% confidence interval, 1‐8‐5.7) with the presence of at least one first‐degree relative affected by dementia. Among all the other risk factors, alcohol abuse (relative risk, 4.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.4–13.8) and manual work (relative risk for men of 5.3; 95% confidence interval, 25.5) emerged as positively associated. No clear association was found with a family history of Parkinson disease, advanced parental age at index delivery, season of birth, or previous head trauma. In conclusion, our date suggest the the main risk factor for late‐onser alzheimer's disease is a family history of dementia, as has been previously reported for early‐onset disease. Moreover, alcohol abuse and occupational exposure might play a specific role for this from of the disease.