The NEDICES cohort of the elderly methodology and main neurological findings

Aim. To summarise the methodological aspects and main findings of the NEDICES (Neurological Disorders in Central Spain) cohort study of the elderly population, with over 5000 participants. Development. The article outlines the findings concerning the following chronic neurological diseases (CND): dementia, Parkinson's disease and Parkinsonisms, stroke and essential, or senile, tremor The NEDICES study examined the health, mortality and a series of sociological aspects of the cohort that are not discussed here. The paper does describe, however the objectives, methods, population and development, with the baseline (1994) and incidence (1997) cut-off points, and the main findings regarding the CND under study are discussed. Conclusions. The prevalence and incidence of the CND are comparable to those of other Spanish and European population-based studies, but with certain peculiarities, such as the fact that incidence of senile tremor is the highest of those reported in the literature and that this CND is associated with dementia. Over half the cases of Parkinson's disease were reported de novo with the study and Alzheimer's disease was associated with vascular risk factors.