title: Complexity of work and risk of Alzheimer's disease: a population-based study of Swedish twins.
abstract: We examined the association between risk of dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD) and occupation by using measures of complexity of work with data, people, and things. The study included 10,079 members of the population-based Swedish Twin Registry who were participants in the HARMONY study. We diagnosed dementia by means of a two-stage procedure--cognitive impairment screening followed by full clinical evaluation. We analyzed data with case-control and cotwin control designs. The cotwin control design provides control over genetic and familial factors. In the case-control study, controlling for age, gender, and level of education, we found that more complex work with people was associated with reduced risk of AD. Greater complexity of work with people and data was protective in twin pairs discordant for AD. Findings suggest that greater complexity of work, and particularly complex work with people, may reduce the risk of AD.
authors.affiliation: School of Aging Studies MHC 1321, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620, USA. randel@cas.usf.edu
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mortimer
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Crimmins
authors.forename: Boo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gatz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis