About
ALS/Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex of the Kii peninsula, Japan (Kii ALS/PDC)
The southern area in the Kii peninsula of Japan (Muro district) is one of the hyperendemic foci of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and parkinsonism-dementia complex (PDC), together with Guam island. High accumulation of phosphorylated tau protein in neurons and glial cells in the central nervous system is the hallmark of ALS/PDC. Epidemiologically, marked decline in ALS incidence and concomitant increase in PDC incidence occurred in 1970s, suggesting changes of some unsolved environmental factors may have induced phenotypic changes of the disease. A research on genetic factors, environmental factors and their interaction is now going on.
Shigeki Kuzuhara, MD,PhD. Professor Emeritus of Neurology, Mie University
Topics
Archive- Publication in the Journal "Neurology"
The titled "Tau imaging detects distinctive distribution of tau pathology in ALS/PDC on the Kii Peninsula." by H.Shinotoh et al. was published in the Jounal "Neurology".
- AOPMC2019 Plenary session
6th Asian and Oceanian Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Congress
April 12-14, 2019 • Hangzhou
Dr. Kokubo was invited as a speaker in Plenary session "Specific Movement Disorders in the Asian-Oceanian Region: Historical and Recent Developments".
URL：https://www.aopmc.org/AOPMC-2019-Files/PDF/AOPMC19Glance_v16_lores2.pdf
- Publication in the Journal "Brain Pathology"
The titled "Optineurin pathology in the spinal cord of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/parkinsonism-dementia complex patients in Kii Peninsula, Japan." by S.Morimoto et al. was published in the Jounal "Brain Pathology".
Schedule
Archive- Public Lecture in Minami-Ise Town
Minami-Ise Town Hall
October 13, 2013
- Neuropathological Workshop
Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology
August 25, 2013
- Guam Research Project
Visiting to Guam at August 16-18, 2013