Nature and prevalence of combinations of mental disorders and their association with excess mortality in a population‐based cohort study

The nature and prevalence of combinations of mental disorders and their associations with premature mortality have never been reported in a comprehensive way. We describe the most common combinations of mental disorders and estimate excess mortality associated with these combinations. We designed a population‐based cohort study including all 7,505,576 persons living in Denmark at some point between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2016. Information on mental disorders and mortality was obtained from national registers. A total of 546,090 individuals (10.5%) living in Denmark on January 1, 1995 were diagnosed with at least one mental disorder during the 22‐year follow‐up period. The overall crude rate of diagnosis of mental disorders was 9.28 (95% CI: 9.26‐9.30) per 1,000 person‐years. The rate of diagnosis of additional mental disorders was 70.01 (95% CI: 69.80‐70.26) per 1,000 person‐years for individuals with one disorder already diagnosed. At the end of follow‐up, two out of five individuals with mental disorders were diagnosed with two or more disorder types. The most prevalent were neurotic/stress‐related/somatoform disorders (ICD‐10 F40‐F48) and mood disorders (ICD‐10 F30‐F39), which – alone or in combination with other disorders – were present in 64.8% of individuals diagnosed with any mental disorder. Mortality rates were higher for people with mental disorders compared to those without mental disorders. The highest mortality rate ratio was 5.97 (95% CI: 5.52‐6.45) for the combination of schizophrenia (ICD‐10 F20‐F29), neurotic/stress‐related/somatoform disorders and substance use disorders (ICD‐10 F10‐F19). Any combination of mental disorders was associated with a shorter life expectancy compared to the general Danish population, with differences in remaining life expectancy ranging from 5.06 years (95% CI: 5.01‐5.11) to 17.46 years (95% CI: 16.86‐18.03). The largest excess mortality was observed for combinations that included substance use disorders. This study reports novel estimates related to the “force of comorbidity” and provides new insights into the contribution of substance use disorders to premature mortality in those with comorbid mental disorders.     

Clinical diagnosis, biochemical findings and MRI spectrum of peroxisomal disorders

Peroxisomal disorders are an important group of neurometabolic diseases. The clinical presentation is varied in terms of age of onset, severity, and different neurological symptoms. The clinical course spans from death in infancy, rapid functional decline, slow decline on long-term followup, to apparent stable course. Leukoencephalopathy and developmental anomalies are characteristic findings on cerebral MR imaging. From a diagnostic point of view the disorders can be clinically subdivided into four broad categories: (1) the Zellweger spectrum disorders and the peroxisomal ?-oxidation disorders, (2) the rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata spectrum disorders, (3) the X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy/adrenomyeloneuropathy complex and (4) the remaining disorders. This article discusses the role of MRI findings in the clinical approach of peroxisomal disorders with neurological disease. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Metabolic Functions and Biogenesis of peroxisomes in Health and Disease.     

Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of mental disorders in the World Health Organization's World Mental Health Survey Initiative

Data are presented on the lifetime prevalence, projected lifetime risk, and age-of-onset distributions of mental disorders in the World Health Organization (WHO)''s World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys. Face-to-face community surveys were conducted in seventeen countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. The combined numbers of respondents were 85,052. Lifetime prevalence, projected lifetime risk, and age of onset of DSM-IV disorders were assessed with the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), a fully-structured lay administered diagnostic interview. Survival analysis was used to estimate lifetime risk. Median and inter-quartile range (IQR) of age of onset is very early for some anxiety disorders (7-14, IQR: 8-11) and impulse control disorders (7-15, IQR: 11-12). The age-of-onset distribution is later for mood disorders (29-43, IQR: 35-40), other anxiety disorders (24-50, IQR: 31-41), and substance use disorders (18-29, IQR: 21-26). Median and IQR lifetime prevalence estimates are: anxiety disorders 4.8-31.0% (IQR: 9.9-16.7%), mood disorders 3.3-21.4% (IQR: 9.8-15.8%), impulse control disorders 0.3-25.0% (IQR: 3.1-5.7%), substance use disorders 1.3-15.0% (IQR: 4.8-9.6%), and any disorder 12.0-47.4% (IQR: 18.1-36.1%). Projected lifetime risk is proportionally between 17% and 69% higher than estimated lifetime prevalence (IQR: 28-44%), with the highest ratios in countries exposed to sectarian violence (Israel, Nigeria, and South Africa), and a general tendency for projected risk to be highest in recent cohorts in all countries. These results document clearly that mental disorders are commonly occurring. As many mental disorders begin in childhood or adolescents, interventions aimed at early detection and treatment might help reduce the persistence or severity of primary disorders and prevent the subsequent onset of secondary disorders.     

Eye disorders in neurofibromatosis (NF1)

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF 1) is an autosomal dominant disorder with high index of spontaneous mutations and extremely varied and impredictible clinical manifestations. The aim of this work was to give an account of eye disorders in NF1. 132 patients of age 0-16 years with NF1 were followed up for 15 years. They were checked repeatedly for ophthalmologic disorders. Frequent eye disorders were: Lisch nodules (Iris hamartomas, IH) 78%, hyperthelorism 19.7%, bulbomotoric disorders 15.9%, disorders of the optic disc 16.7% and optic gliomas (18.9%). The highest incidence of eye disorders by NF1 patients showed Lisch nodules (IH). Its ease of clinical recognition and if present with other diagnostic signs (for instance café au lait patches) could be deemed as reliable diagnostic criterion of NF1 in childhood.     

Excess Mortality in Patients with Severe Mental Disorders in 1996-2010 in Finland

Unselected population-based nationwide studies on the excess mortality of individuals with severe mental disorders are scarce with regard to several important causes of death. Using comprehensive register data, we set out to examine excess mortality and its trends among patients with severe mental disorders compared to the total population. Patients aged 25–74 and hospitalised with severe mental disorders in 1990–2010 in Finland were identified using the national hospital discharge register and linked individually to population register data on mortality and demographics. We studied mortality in the period 1996–2010 among patients with psychotic disorders, psychoactive substance use disorders, and mood disorders by several causes of death. In addition to all-cause mortality, we examined mortality amenable to health care interventions, ischaemic heart disease mortality, disease mortality, and alcohol-related mortality. Patients with severe mental disorders had a clearly higher mortality rate than the total population throughout the study period regardless of cause of death, with the exception of alcohol-related mortality among male patients with psychotic disorders without comorbidity with substance use disorders. The all-cause mortality rate ratio of patients with psychotic disorders compared to the total population was 3.48 (95% confidence interval 2.98–4.06) among men and 3.75 (95% CI 3.08–4.55) among women in the period 2008–10. The corresponding rate ratio of patients with psychoactive substance use disorders was 5.33 (95% CI 4.87–5.82) among men and 7.54 (95% CI 6.30–9.03) among women. Overall, the mortality of the total population and patients with severe mental disorders decreased between 1996 and 2010. However, the mortality rate ratio of patients with psychotic disorders and patients with psychoactive substance use disorders compared to the total population increased in general during the study period. Exceptions were alcohol-related mortality among patients with psychoactive substance use disorders and female patients with psychotic disorders, as well as amenable mortality among male patients with psychotic disorders. The mortality rate ratio of persons with mood disorders compared to the total population decreased. The markedly high mortality amenable to health care intervention among patients with severe mental disorders found in our study suggests indirectly that they may receive poorer quality somatic care. The results highlight the challenges in co-ordinating mental and somatic health services.     

Peroxisomal disorders: the single peroxisomal enzyme deficiencies

Peroxisomal disorders are a group of inherited diseases in man in which either peroxisome biogenesis or one or more peroxisomal functions are impaired. The peroxisomal disorders identified to date are usually classified in two groups including: (1) the disorders of peroxisome biogenesis, and (2) the single peroxisomal enzyme deficiencies. This review is focused on the second group of disorders, which currently includes ten different diseases in which the mutant gene affects a protein involved in one of the following peroxisomal functions: (1) ether phospholipid (plasmalogen) biosynthesis; (2) fatty acid beta-oxidation; (3) peroxisomal alpha-oxidation; (4) glyoxylate detoxification, and (5) H2O2 metabolism.     

The effect of a 3-hydroxypyridine-class antioxidant on disorders of the microcirculatory system in experimental dyslipoproteinemia and its alimentary correction

The effect of antioxidant (AO) of the 3-hydroxypyridin class on microcirculatory system (MC) disorders of rabbits with dyslipoproteinemia (DLP) and its alimentary correction (the standard ration--9 months) was studied. Aorta, the intestinal mesentery microcirculatory bed, the microvessels adrenergic innervation, erythrocyte morphology were examined. The various lipoprotein fractions and lipid peroxidation (LP) products were studied in venous blood. After AO including into atherogenic diet (ATD) the lipid homeostasis disorders, the LP activation, MC disturbances, anomalous erythrocyte form appearance and atherosclerosis changes in aorta were less pronounced. Under the AO influence when DLP was corrected the initial level of lipid metabolism and LP restored, the MC disorders and the atherosclerosis changes in aorta regressed in a shorter period of time. The interrelation was observed between the DLP level, the structural and functional MC disorders and the extent of aorta atherosclerosis. Thus, DLP and LP correction at the early stages of pathological process can lead to the disappearance of MC disorders, what seems important for the prevention of atherosclerosis. The role of the LP activation in MC disorders in DLP and mexidol effect on them, especially in complex with DLP correction were evaluated.     

The prevalence and correlates of DSM-IV disorders in the Iraq Mental Health Survey (IMHS)

Data on the prevalence and correlates of anxiety, mood, behavioral, and substance disorders are presented from a 2007-8 national survey of the Iraq population, the Iraq Mental Health Survey (IMHS). The IMHS was carried out by the Iraq Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Iraq Ministry of Planning and the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative. Interviews were administered to a probability sample of Iraqi household residents by trained lay interviewers. The WHO Composite International Diagnostic interview (CIDI) was used to assess DSM-IV disorders. The response rate was 95.2%. The estimated lifetime prevalence of any disorder was 18.8%. Cohort analysis documented significantly increasing lifetime prevalence of most disorders across generations. This was most pronounced for panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, with lifetime-to-date prevalence 5.4-5.3 times as high at comparable ages in the youngest (ages 18-34) as oldest (ages 65+) cohorts. Anxiety disorders were the most common class of disorders (13.8%) and major depressive disorder (MDD) the most common disorder (7.2%). Twelve-month prevalence of any disorder was 13.6%, with 42.1% of cases classified mild, 36.0% moderate, and 21.9% serious. The disorders most often classified serious were bipolar disorder (76.9%) and substance-related disorders (54.9%). Socio-demographic correlates were generally consistent with international epidemiological surveys, with the two exceptions of no significant gender differences in mood disorders and positive correlations of anxiety and mood disorders with education. Only 2.2% of IMHS respondents reported receiving treatment for emotional problems in the 12 months before interview, including 23.7% of those with serious, 9.2% with moderate, and 5.3% with mild disorders and 0.9% of other respondents. Most healthcare treatment, which was roughly equally distributed between the general medical and specialty sectors, was of low intensity. Further analyses of barriers to seeking treatment are needed to inform government efforts to expand the detection and treatment of mental disorders     

Sleep disorders in elderly, the sleep apnea syndrome in particular: are they a cause of insomnia? A review of literature

In this publication a review is presented based on the findings resulting from sleep-wake investigations searching for sleep disorders associated with insomnia in relatively healthy elderly. 44 Relevant journal articles published between 1980-1998 were found. The four most important sleep disorders which can be accompanied by sleeplessness in relatively healthy elderly people are periodic leg movements disorder (PLM), restless legs syndrome (RLS), REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) and sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). Of these disorders, sleep apnea and periodic leg movements occur most frequently, in a quarter of the elderly. The latter, however, seldom complain about sleeplessness. Within the category of older people disorders characterized by movements during sleep increase significantly with age, nightly respiration disorders do not. SAS, PLM and RBD appear most frequently in men and RLS in women. The disorders characterized by movements during sleep (especially RLS and RBD) are often accompanied by sleeplessness. SAS, however, is more closely associated with day-time sleepiness than with sleeplessness. No combination of demographic variables and symptoms allows a reliable prediction of these sleep disorders. Fortunately, these disorders are not a major threat to the health of older people.     

Genetic analysis of reproductive disorders in Israeli Holstein dairy cows

The heritability of common reproductive disorders was asessed in Israeli Holstein cows. Data were collected from 76,000 calvings on 102 collective farms (kibbuts) over a 36-mo period. The disorders considered were those of retained placenta, abnormal lochia, endometritis, anestrus, ovarian cysts with anestrus and ovarian cysts with nymphomania. The statistical model included fixed effects of herd-year, month of calving, duration of previous pregnancy, interaction between calving difficulty and sex of offspring, and the random effect of the sire. Herd-year effects consituted 0.68 of the explained variance of the incidence of retained placenta and approximately 0.89 of all the other disorders. Sire and calving-month effects were significant (P<0.05) for all the disorders. Heritability estimates of the disorders were 0.01 for retained placenta, abnormal lochia, and endometritis; 0.02 for anestrus; and 0.03 for all disorders. Correlations between any two disorders did not exceed 0.20. High genetic correlations were found between retained placenta and either abnormal lochia (0.90) or endometritis (0.70), while moderate genetic correlations were found among each of these and anestrus (0.30). Reproductive disorders occur as part of a complex which may be efficiently controlled by management measures. Nevertheless, breeding for resistance to reproductive disorders may also be feasible by using appropriate sires evaluated on a large number of daughters.     

Psychiatric Comorbidity in Patients from the Addictive Disorders Assistance Units of Galicia: The COPSIAD Study

The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in patients under treatment within the addictive disorders assistance units of Galicia (Spain).

Material and Methods

A total of 64 healthcare professionals performed clinical diagnosis of mental disorders (on DSM IV-TR criteria) in 2300 patients treated throughout March 2010 in 21 addictive disorders assistance units.

Results

56.3% of patients with substance abuse/dependency also showed some other mental disorder, 42.2% of patients suffering from at least an Axis I condition and 20.2% from some Axis II condition. Mood and anxiety disorders and borderline and antisocial personality disorders were the most frequent disorders in both axes.

Conclusions

A high comorbidity was found between mental and substance use disorders (SUD) in patients seen at the addictive disorders assistance units of Galicia.     

Incidences of gross morphological disorders in barbel (Barbus barbus) in three rivers in southern England

Incidences of gross morphological disorders in barbel ( Barbus barbus ) were investigated in three rivers in southern England. The water quality at the sites chosen for study on the Rivers Teme, Kennet and Lee were classified (according to the criteria of the National Water Council, 1978) as 1A, IB and 2, respectively. Generally, low levels of gross morphological abnormalities were seen in fish caught in the Teme and Kennet, although there were incidences of ocular disorders and extra barbules in 10 and 7%, respectively, of the Kennet fish. No tumours were found in barbel from the River Teme whereas there was a 2% incidence in the Kennet fish. In contrast barbel from the River Lee showed high levels of all the gross morphological disorders, especially haemorrhagic patches on the ventral surface (36%) and ocular disorders (72%). Tumours were seen in 25% of the barbel caught in the River Lee. The incidences of most of these gross morphological disorders did not appear to be age related. The possibility that these disorders were related to water quality is discussed.     

Reproductive disorders in Glossina palpalis palpalis (Diptera: Glossinidae) in forested areas of Ivory Coast

Study of reproductive disorders were carried out through the dissection of 11,012 tsetse flies caught over a period of one year in forested different habitats of Glossina palpalis palpalis of Daloa in Ivory Coast. The proportion of females with reproductive disorders was very low and estimated at 0.79%. Out of 87 tsetse files with reproductive disorders, 93.10% were abortions, 5.77% were ovular blockage and 1.13% was uterine pupaison. Reproductive disorders were recorded from all age groups: 0.78% in young parous (out of 6,398 tsetse flies examined) and 0.80% in old parous (out of 4,614 tsetse flies dissequed). Our results show that reproductive disorders occur at any stage of the female pregnancy cycle. Amplifying these reproductive disorders using chemical compounds is proposed as a way of improving the efficacy of insecticide-impregnated targets (pour-on, traps and screens) of tsetse control in rain-forest areas.     

Age-Related Features of Neuropsychological Disorders in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (parkinsonism) is one of the most widespread neurological diseases in the world: 1.5% of the population between the ages of 70 and 79 suffer from it (Huber & Cummings, 1992). Contemporary studies of parkinsonism are not restricted to investigation of the pathogenesis and treatment of motor disorders (tremor, rigidity, hypokinesia, postural disorders): possible disorders in higher mental functions (HMFs) are also analyzed. However, specialists agree on neither the frequency nor the causes of these disorders. The pathogenesis of defects in HMFs has been linked to accelerated aging of the brain (Albert, 1978), to primary biochemical disorders (independent of age), to the effects of drug therapy, to acute and chronic intoxications (carbon monoxide, manganese), to an accompanying atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, etc. James Parkinson himself, who described this disease, said that disorders of intelligence were not characteristic of it (Parkinson, 1817). The frequency of disorders of HMFs secondary to parkinsonism varies from 4% to 93%, depending on the investigator. The relation of these defects to age is also variously interpreted. Most authors note that the neuropsychological symptoms are more marked and more global if the illness has a late onset (Iakhno, Damulin, & Goncharov, 1992; Huber & Cummings, 1992); but there are data indicating that the tendency toward a buildup of defects is manifested differently depending on which mental function is being examined (Korsakova & Moskvichiute, 1985), and that some disorders (for example, motor disorders) are much more marked in younger patients (Lesser et al., 1979; Mjones, 1949). There is no doubt that disagreements on these issues have to do with differences in the methods used to detect defects and to the methodological approaches to their interpretation.     

Association of preceding psychosis risk states and non‐psychotic mental disorders with incidence of clinical psychosis in the general population: a prospective study in the NEMESIS‐2 cohort

The validity and clinical utility of the concept of “clinical high risk” (CHR) for psychosis have so far been investigated only in risk‐enriched samples in clinical settings. In this population‐based prospective study, we aimed – for the first time – to assess the incidence rate of clinical psychosis and es­timate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of that incidence for preceding psychosis risk states and DSM‐IV diagnoses of non‐psychotic mental disorders (mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol use disorders, and drug use disorders). All analyses were adjusted for age, gender and education. The incidence rate of clinical psychosis was 63.0 per 100,000 person‐years. The mutually‐adjusted Cox proportional hazards model indicated that preceding diagnoses of mood disorders (hazard ratio, HR=10.67, 95% CI: 3.12‐36.49), psychosis high‐risk state (HR=7.86, 95% CI: 2.76‐22.42) and drug use disorders (HR=5.33, 95% CI: 1.61‐17.64) were associated with an increased risk for clinical psychosis incidence. Of the clinical psychosis incidence in the population, 85.5% (95% CI: 64.6‐94.1) was attributable to prior psychopathology, with mood disorders (PAF=66.2, 95% CI: 33.4‐82.9), psychosis high‐risk state (PAF=36.9, 95% CI: 11.3‐55.1), and drug use disorders (PAF=18.7, 95% CI: –0.9 to 34.6) as the most important factors. Although the psychosis high‐risk state displayed a high relative risk for clinical psychosis outcome even after adjusting for other psychopathology, the PAF was comparatively low, given the low prevalence of psychosis high‐risk states in the population. These findings provide empirical evidence for the “prevention paradox” of targeted CHR early intervention. A comprehensive prevention strategy with a focus on broader psychopathology may be more effective than the current psychosis‐focused approach for achieving population‐based improvements in prevention of psychotic disorders.     

Medico-genetic study of the population of Uzbekistan. VIII. Territorial distribution of hereditary diseases in the population of four regions of the Khorezm province and its genetic load

The load of hereditary diseases was estimated on the basis of data obtained during medical-genetic study of the population of four districts of Khorezm province. The load of autosomal recessive disorders comprised 2-3 X 10(-3) affected, that of autosomal dominant disorders - 0.4-0.5 X 10(-3) and that of X-linked disorders - 0.2-0.4 X 10(-3) males. The main part of patients with autosomal recessive disorders belonged to separate families randomly spread over the populations. A trend for local accumulation of families with the same disorder was observed in small populations. It was shown that overall frequency of autosomal recessive genes per individual increased with the increase in the population size.     

Function of the microcirculatory system during the long-term regression of the early stages of atherogenesis

Lipid metabolism, intestinal mesentery microcirculatory bed (MCB) and erythrocyte (E) morphology in arterial and venous blood were studied in rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis (the model of N. N. Anichkov) and its spontaneous regression. The interrelation was determined between lipid metabolism (LM), MCB structural and functional disorders and anomalous E form appearance, and to a lesser extent the atheromatosis of the aorta. Microcirculatory (MC) disorders disappeared 12 months later in the regression of the early stages of atherogenesis (after 2 months of diet). The generalized character of MC disorders in LM suggests the existence of a trend towards MC reconstitution in prolonged regression in different organs and tissues. Thus, LM correction at the early stages of the pathological process can be accompanied by the disappearance of MC disorders, which seems important for the prevention of atherosclerosis.     

Medico-genetical study of the Uzbekistan population. IX. Variability of hereditary pathology, territorial distribution of hereditary diseases and hereditary disease load in the population of the Urgut district of the Samarkand region

Medical-genetic study was carried out in the population of Samarkand province (the population size about 150 000). Hereditary pathology was ascertained among families with two or more affected members with chronic diseases. 110 families with 210 patients were registered. The most frequent were autosomal-recessive disorders (42 nozological forms). 15 nozological forms are probably "new" conditions in this province, because they were absent in our previous medical-genetic study of this province. A tendency to local accumulation of families with the same disorder in small populations was observed. The load of autosomal-recessive disorders comprised 2.2 X 10(-3) affected, that of autosomal-dominant disorders being 0.51 X 10(-3) and of X-linked disorders being 0.25 X 10(-3) males. The importance of assortative maitings in manifestation of rare autosomal-recessive genes in Uzbek population is discussed.     

Delay and failure in treatment seeking after first onset of mental disorders in the World Health Organization's World Mental Health Survey Initiative

Data are presented on patterns of failure and delay in making initial treatment contact after first onset of a mental disorder in 15 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO)''s World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys. Representative face-to-face household surveys were conducted among 76,012 respondents aged 18 and older in Belgium, Colombia, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, People''s Republic of China (Beijing and Shanghai), Spain, and the United States. The WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was used to assess lifetime DSM-IV anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders. Ages of onset for individual disorders and ages of first treatment contact for each disorder were used to calculate the extent of failure and delay in initial help seeking. The proportion of lifetime cases making treatment contact in the year of disorder onset ranged from 0.8 to 36.4% for anxiety disorders, from 6.0 to 52.1% for mood disorders, and from 0.9 to 18.6% for substance use disorders. By 50 years, the proportion of lifetime cases making treatment contact ranged from 15.2 to 95.0% for anxiety disorders, from 7.9 to 98.6% for mood disorders, and from 19.8 to 86.1% for substance use disorders. Median delays among cases eventually making contact ranged from 3.0 to 30.0 years for anxiety disorders, from 1.0 to 14.0 years for mood disorders, and from 6.0 to 18.0 years for substance use disorders. Failure and delays in treatment seeking were generally greater in developing countries, older cohorts, men, and cases with earlier ages of onset. These results show that failure and delays in initial help seeking are pervasive problems worldwide. Interventions to ensure prompt initial treatment contacts are needed to reduce the global burdens and hazards of untreated mental disorders.     

Body sway characteristics during static upright posture in healthy and disordered elderly

This study aimed to compare body sway characteristics of the healthy elderly and the disordered elderly. The subjects were 38 healthy elderly and 24 disordered elderly with disequilibrium. The latter consisted of two groups: 12 elderly with vestibular organ or central nervous systems disorder (central nervous disorders), and 12 elderly with disorder in other systems (other disorders). The measurement device can calculate the center of foot pressure (CFP) of vertical loads from the values of three vertical load sensors, which are located at the corners of an isosceles triangle on a level surface. The data sampling frequency was 20 Hz. Four body sway factors with high reliability (unit time sway, front-back sway, left-right sway, and high frequency band power) were used to evaluate body sway. As compared with healthy people, central nervous disorders had larger unit time sway, high frequency band power, and left-right sway factors. Other disorders were larger in unit time sway and high frequency band power factors. Central nervous disorders, as compared with other disorders, had larger unit time sway and left-right sway factors. Disorders produced large and fast sway, and central nervous disorders in particular showed a marked sway in the left-right direction. The existence of disease influenced body sway more than decline in various functions related to posture control with aging, because even with the same elderly, disorders showed a larger body sway.