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Motor neuron disease on Guam: temporal xcurrence, 1941–85
Author(s) -
Zhang Z.X.,
Anderson D.W.,
Mantel N.,
Román G.C.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1995.tb00133.x
Subject(s) - demography , disease , incidence (geometry) , medicine , pediatrics , gerontology , psychology , physics , sociology , optics
Using a case registry, we investigated the temporal occurrence of motor neuron disease (MND) on Guam. MND with onset during 1941–85 was documented in 434 Chamorros and 9 non‐Chamorro migrants who had lived on Guam before onset. Increased median age at onset and decreased age‐adjusted incidence rates (since the early 1960s) were observed for Chamorros of both sexes. Our evidence about MND on Guam is consistent with: 1) The latent period duration has varied from years to decades; 2) With time, the exposure period or latent period, or both, have lengthened; 3) The high risk of acquiring the condition has been reduced since, at least, the early 1950s, and the most recent years of meaningful risk were the early to middle 1960s; 4) The critical age for acquiring the condition is in adolescence and adulthood; 5) Change of environment from Guam to overseas during childhood resulted in decreased risk of acquiring the condition.