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Parental family history of dementia in relation to subclinical brain disease and dementia risk
Wolters FJ, van der Lee SJ, Koudstaal PJ, van Duijn CM, Hofman A, Ikram MK, Vernooij MW, Ikram MA.. Neurology, 2017-03-29
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective To determine the association of parental family history with risk of dementia by age at onset and sex of affected parent in a population-based cohort. Methods From 2000 to 2002, we assessed parental history of dementia in participants without dementia of the Rotterdam Study. We investigated associations of parental history with risk of dementia until 2015, adjusting for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, and known genetic risk variants.
Key findings
- Methods From 2000 to 2002, we assessed parental history of dementia in participants without dementia of the Rotterdam Study.
- We investigated associations of parental history with risk of dementia until 2015, adjusting for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, and known genetic risk variants.
- Furthermore, we determined the association between parental history and markers of neurodegeneration and vascular disease on MRI.
- Results Of 2,087 participants (mean age 64 years, 55% female), 407 (19.6%) reported a history of dementia in either parent (mean age at diagnosis 79 years).
Why it matters
This study looked at whether having a parent with dementia was linked to a higher risk of dementia and to signs of brain disease on MRI. It found associations that may help understand who is at risk, but it does not test any way to prevent or treat dementia.
Study details
- Participants2,087
- Effect size19.6%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 60/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 2,087 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 60 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.5 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 12 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 17 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author M. Arfan Ikram: h-index 167 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 28356461) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 60 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000003871
- PubMed: 28356461
- Original source →
- Free full text: Pure Amsterdam UMC →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Wolters, F. J., van der Lee, S. J., Koudstaal, P. J., van Duijn, C. M., Hofman, A., Ikram, M. K., et al. (2017). Parental family history of dementia in relation to subclinical brain disease and dementia risk. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000003871
Vancouver
Wolters FJ, van der Lee SJ, Koudstaal PJ, van Duijn CM, Hofman A, Ikram MK, et al. Parental family history of dementia in relation to subclinical brain disease and dementia risk. Neurology. 2017. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000003871. PMID: 28356461.
BibTeX
@article{wolters2017-28356461,
author = {Wolters, F. J. and van der Lee, S. J. and Koudstaal, P. J. and van Duijn, C. M. and Hofman, A. and Ikram, M. K. and Vernooij, M. W. and Ikram, M. A.},
title = {{Parental family history of dementia in relation to subclinical brain disease and dementia risk}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000003871},
pmid = {28356461},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000003871}
}
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