Maternal Dementia History Increases Children's Dementia Risk... Alzheimer's Up by 80%+

Seongnam Seoul National University Hospital Professor Kim Ki-woong's Team
Confirms Impact of Family History on Dementia Risk Through Large-Scale Multinational Cohort Study

A study has found that a mother's history of dementia increases the risk of dementia in her children. Although previous reports suggested that parental dementia could raise the risk of dementia in offspring, there were conflicting results, and no detailed research had been conducted to clarify which specific diseases are highly associated or whether paternal or maternal influence is stronger, making this study significant.

On the 10th, Professor Kim Ki-woong's research team from the Department of Psychiatry at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital announced a paper analyzing the impact of parental dementia history on their children. The conclusion was that if either parent had a history of dementia, the risk of dementia in the children increased, with the mother's dementia history having a particularly clear influence.

Professor Kim Ki-woong, Department of Psychiatry, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital.

The research team investigated the family history of dementia among 17,194 elderly individuals residing in eight countries, including South Korea, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Greece, Australia, and the Philippines. They diagnosed dementia in respondents through clinical evaluations, neuropsychological tests, blood tests, and neurological examinations. The average age of respondents was 72.8 years, and 59.2% were female.

As a result, having at least one parent with a history of dementia increased the risk of developing dementia by 47%. Among these, the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease increased by 72%. When the father had a history of dementia, the risk of dementia did not increase significantly; however, when the mother had a history of dementia, the risk of dementia increased by 51%, and Alzheimer's disease risk increased by 80%. This maternal dementia history effect on the offspring's dementia risk was evident regardless of the child's gender. Women whose mothers had dementia showed a 68% increase, and men showed over a 100% increase in Alzheimer's disease risk.

The apolipoprotein E4 allele has been the most well-known genetic trait increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. This study suggests that maternal genetic traits, such as those on the X chromosome or mitochondrial DNA, may also have a significant impact on the development of Alzheimer's disease. The research team explained that among elderly individuals suspected of cognitive decline either subjectively or through caregiver observation, if a parent?especially the mother?has been diagnosed with dementia, early diagnosis of cognitive impairment through professional evaluation and continuous monitoring of cognitive function changes are necessary.

Professor Kim Ki-woong stated, "This study clearly shows that among parents, the mother's history of dementia has a significant influence, and if the mother has dementia, the risk of Alzheimer's disease?the most common form of dementia?increases in children regardless of their gender." He added, "By analyzing large-scale multinational cohort data, this suggests that the maternal genetic tendency for dementia may be a universal phenomenon regardless of country or ethnicity."

He continued, "Since dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, results from the interaction of various genes and environmental factors rather than a single gene, having a parental history of dementia does not necessarily mean one will develop dementia. Nevertheless, if parents have a history of dementia, efforts should be made to prevent dementia through stricter smoking cessation, alcohol moderation, dietary improvements, and management of underlying conditions such as hypertension and diabetes," he emphasized.

This study was published in the international journal 'Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.'

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