Motor neuron disease on Guam: temporal xcurrence, 1941–85
Z.X. Zhang
Neuroepidemiology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China.
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
D.W. Anderson
Biometry & Field Studies Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
D.W. Anderson, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Federal Building, Room 7C-16, 7550 Wisconsin Avenue MSC 9135, Bethesda, MD 20892-9135, USASearch for more papers by this authorN. Mantel
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, American University, Washington, DC, USA.
Search for more papers by this authorG.C. Román
Neuroepidemiology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorZ.X. Zhang
Neuroepidemiology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China.
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
D.W. Anderson
Biometry & Field Studies Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
D.W. Anderson, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Federal Building, Room 7C-16, 7550 Wisconsin Avenue MSC 9135, Bethesda, MD 20892-9135, USASearch for more papers by this authorN. Mantel
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, American University, Washington, DC, USA.
Search for more papers by this authorG.C. Román
Neuroepidemiology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
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.
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