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AlzRisk Cohort Detail
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Cohort: Older adults in Kwangju, South Korea
Risk Factors: B Vitamins,
Homocysteine

Introduction to the Cohort
This is a community-based prospective survey conducted in South Korea to investigate risk factors for late-life psychiatric morbidity.

From 2001-2003, investigators conducted systematic surveys using national registration lists to identify residents over 65 years of age in one urban and one rural catchment area in Kwangju, South Korea. The participants were followed-up for two years. Researchers collected information on the participants' socio demographic, behavioral, life-style factors, and self-reported medical conditions. In addition, they recorded participants' anthropomorphic measurements and collected blood samples during baseline and follow-up examinations.

Ethnicity Breakdown
All participants were Korean.

Diagnosis & Evaluation Methods
For a detailed description of screening protocol and dementia diagnoses, see Kim et al. 2008.

References
Kim J-M, Stewart R, Kim S-W, et al. Changes in folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine associated with incident dementia. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2008; 79: 864–868.

Kim JM, Stewart R, Shin IS, et al. Limb length and dementia in an older Korean population. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2003; 74: 427–32.

Kim JM, Stewart R, Shin IS, et al. Assessment of association between mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase polymorphism and Alzheimer’s disease in an older Korean population. Neurobiol Aging 2004; 25:295–301.

Kim JM, Stewart R, Kim SW, et al. Vascular risk factors and incident late-life depression in a Korean population. Br J Psychiatry 2006; 189: 26–30.