title: Cross-sectional analysis of neurological findings among healthy elderly: study in a remote island in Kagoshima, Japan.
abstract: We have conducted annual health checkup surveys of elderly subjects aged 60 years or older in a remote island of southwestern Japan. After excluding patients with neurological diseases and the subjects who needed help in activities of daily living, a cross-sectional analysis of the data obtained from 348 elderly people aged 60-89 years was made. We examined the age and sex distributions of abnormal neurological findings, including the scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). In this study, aging was associated with muscle weakness in the lower limbs, cerebellar dysfunction, hand tremor, decrease in handgrip, abnormality of deep sensation and a decrease in the MMSE score. These findings suggest a characteristic pattern of nervous system deterioration with age. We discuss the possible pathogenesis and significance of these findings that should contribute to a better understanding of normal aging in the nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kagoshima University Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Kimiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arimura
authors.forename: Chihaya
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koriyama
authors.forename: Suminori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akiba
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osame
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination