Low-level lithium in drinking water and subsequent risk of dementia: Cohort study.

Background: Lithium, a mood stabilizer, is known to exhibit neuroprotective effects in animal models and may have anti-dementia effects.

Aims: We used data from Scottish Mental Survey 1932, a population-based cohort study, to investigate the association between lithium in drinking water and dementia rate in humans.

Method: Lithium levels in drinking water from 285 sampling sites across Scotland dating from 2014 were obtained from the sole public water provider (Scottish Water).

Aluminium and fluoride in drinking water in relation to later dementia risk.

Background: Environmental risk factors for dementia are poorly understood. Aluminium and fluorine in drinking water have been linked with dementia but uncertainties remain about this relationship.

Aims: In the largest longitudinal study in this context, we set out to explore the individual effect of aluminium and fluoride in drinking water on dementia risk and, as fluorine can increase absorption of aluminium, we also examine any synergistic influence on dementia.

Childhood Cognitive Ability and Incident Dementia: The 1932 Scottish Mental Survey Cohort into their 10th Decade.

Background: The prevention of dementia is a global priority but its etiology is poorly understood. Early life cognitive ability has been linked to subsequent dementia risk but studies to date have been small and none has examined sex differences.

Methods: In the 1932 Scottish Mental Survey cohort, we related intelligence test scores at age 11 years in 16,370 boys and 16,097 girls (born in 1921) to incident dementia ages ≥65 years as ascertained using probabilistic linkage to electronic health records up to the age of 92 years (1,231 cases in men, 2,163 in women; median follow-up 15 years).

Appropriateness of unscheduled hospital admissions from care homes.

Unscheduled hospital admissions from care homes are common and potentially avoidable but little guidance is available as to what constitutes an appropriate hospital admission. We surveyed healthcare professionals' opinions on a range of common scenarios affecting care-home residents. We developed seven clinical vignettes and an accompanying questionnaire.

Geographical variation in dementia: examining the role of environmental factors in Sweden and Scotland.

Background: This study aimed to estimate the magnitude of geographical variation in dementia rates and suggest explanations for this variation. Small-area studies are scarce, and none has adequately investigated the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to the distribution of dementia.

Methods: We present 2 complementary small-area hierarchical Bayesian disease-mapping studies using the comprehensive Swedish Twin Registry (n = 27,680) and the 1932 Scottish Mental Survey cohort (n = 37,597).