[Associations between dementia and head circumference as a measure of brain reserve--results from the Bavarian School sisters study].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to examine the relationship of head circumference as a marker of maximal attained brain size to late-life cognitive impairment and dementia.


METHODS
Cognitive performance was assessed and the presence of dementia was diagnosed in a cross-sectional study of 442 Catholic sisters aged 65 years and over.


RESULTS
A head circumference below average was significantly associated with the presence of dementia even after adjustment for age, body mass index and presence of one or two apolipoprotein E epsilon4 alleles (OR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.1-3.6). The combination of small head circumference and apolipoprotein E epsilon4 strongly increased the risk of dementia (OR = 3.59; 95% CI: 1.44-8.97).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings support the hypothesis that a larger head size reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in old age.
Bickel
Horst
H
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie der Technischen Universität München, Klinikum rechts der Isar. h.bickel@lrz.tum.de
Riemenschneider
Matthias
M
Kurz
Alexander
A
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002410:Catholicism; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E