title: Epidemiology of presenile Alzheimer's disease in Scotland (1974-88) I. non-random geographical variation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Factors that determine geographical differences in incidence rates of 'probable' presenile Alzheimer's disease (AD PSD) may help to clarify the possible role of the environment in its aetiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have ascertained the treated incidence of AD PSD in Scotland by scrutiny of hospital cassenotes and searched for cases outside hospital settings. Small area geographical analysis compared the observed distribution of cases (each allocated to one of Scotland's 898 postcode sectors) with the estimated random distribution of cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was non-random geographical distribution of AD PSD but not of the comparison conditions (vascular dementia (VaD), motor neurone disease, prostatic or ovarian cancers). Substantial differences between Scottish regions were probably not attributable to methodological artefact, as other techniques of case finding showed the same regional differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed differences in incidence of AD PSD between Scotland's regions are real and some localities have a higher incidence, mostly in central Scotland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Whalley
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McGonigal
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: McQuade
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swingler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Black
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology