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Psychosocial factors and the onset of genetic diseases: Dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease and ataxia—A preliminary investigation

Family Studies Unit, Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute of Neurological, Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.

Joseph J. Higgins, MD

Laboratory of Clinical Neurogenetics, Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research, New York State, Department of Health, Albany, New York.

Certain psychosocial factors such as marriage and involvement with support groups can influence longevity by unknown cellular mechanisms. To determine whether social factors impact upon the phenotypic expression of neurodegenerative disorders, we organized a standardized database on 43 patients with familial Alzheimer's disease [(FAD) (n = 18)] and spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) types one and three (n = 25). Variables including information on social factors (marital status, close friends, church attendance and group memberships) were correlated with genetic and clinical data. In the total population (n = 43) higher education was linearly related to a greater income. Social factors did not significantly affect the onset of symptoms in patients with FAD. Regardless of the number of CAG trinuceotide repeats, most SCA patients who regularly attended church related activities and social group activities had a later onset of disease symptoms compared to those individuals with less social interaction.

American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias®, Vol. 14, No. 5, 257-261 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/153331759901400505


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