Wright A F, Whalley L J
Br J Psychiatry. 1984 Jul;145:20-38. doi: 10.1192/bjp.145.1.20.
The contribution of genetic differences to variation in ageing and the relationship of ageing to certain types of dementia are discussed. Neuropathological changes commonly found in the ageing brain are present in more severe form in Alzheimer-type dementia, Down's syndrome, multi-infarct dementia, and a substantial number of patients with Parkinson's disease. An increased frequency of ageing-associated changes outside the brain have been reported in Alzheimer-type dementia, Down's syndrome, and multi-infarct dementia, although the evidence is generally meagre and in many cases requires further corroboration. Genetic studies of Alzheimer-type dementia support the existence of heterogeneity on the basis of family history and age of onset; early onset is associated with greater genetic risk and severity of abnormality. The increasing evidence of an association between DNA damage, premature ageing, and neuronal cell loss may provide insights into the aetiology of these and other forms of dementia.
本文讨论了基因差异对衰老变异的影响以及衰老与某些类型痴呆症的关系。在衰老大脑中常见的神经病理变化在阿尔茨海默病型痴呆、唐氏综合征、多发梗死性痴呆以及大量帕金森病患者中以更严重的形式出现。尽管证据通常较少且在许多情况下需要进一步证实，但在阿尔茨海默病型痴呆、唐氏综合征和多发梗死性痴呆中，已报告大脑外与衰老相关变化的频率增加。基于家族史和发病年龄，阿尔茨海默病型痴呆的基因研究支持异质性的存在；早发与更高的遗传风险和异常严重程度相关。DNA损伤、早衰与神经元细胞丢失之间关联的证据越来越多，这可能为这些及其他形式痴呆症的病因提供见解。
