The long-term prospective association between dementia and the well known inflammation marker high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was evaluated in a cohort of Japanese American men who were seen in the second examination of the Honolulu Heart Program (1968-1970) and subsequently were re-examined 25 years later for dementia in the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (1991-1996). The gene discussed is CRP; the disease is dementia.