Recent developments in gerontopsychiatric research on age-associated dementia in Japan.
In this review article, we describe the historical background of gerontopsychiatry in Japan and elucidate research studies on dementia. To date, 19 relatively large-scale epidemiological investigations on dementia have been conducted in the community. These results suggest that approximately 4-5% of the population over age 65 has dementia. Multi-infarct dementia is more prevalent than the Alzheimer's type dementia. Three hypotheses for this finding are suggested. Finally, we propose a theoretical model correlating the relationship between degree of cognitive dysfunction and caregiver's stress.
Homma
A
A
Section of Psychiatry, Tokyo Metropolitan, Institute of Gerontology, Japan.
Hasegawa
K
K
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015161:Dementia, Multi-Infarct / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012944:Social Support