摘要:

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) shows a variety of different pharmacological properties in the aging brain. Recent findings suggest that the ultimate meaning of ALC actions may be related to its specific enhancement of energy metabolism at the mitochondrial level. ALC is an energy carrier through the mitochondrial membranes, controlling the availability of acetyl-coenzyme A. The facts that ALC acts on the electron transport chain complexes and also reduces lipid peroxidation give new insights into its mechanism of action.

ISSN:1420-8008    

DOI:10.1159/000107167

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1991

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

This paper describes the clinical, psychometric, neuropathological, and neurotransmitter immunocytochemical studies on 9 patients selected from the Zürich study on dementia and Parkinson''s disease (PD). It confirms the age-related loss of norepinephrine neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) in control patients without neurological or psychiatric disease. The loss of LC neurons in patients with PD, with coexistent depression, with nonischemic dementia or both in coexistence, increased with the severity and complexity of the diseases. The 5 cases with depressive disorders, depression, PD with depression, and PD with depression and dementia had in common severe LC norepinephrine cell losses, and neurons with low catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme and, presumably, reduced norepinephrine levels. The significance of these findings in relation to the possible treatment of depression in PD with other multiple symptoms with antidepressants such as monoamine oxidase A inhibitors, which manipulate the LC norepinephrine levels, are discussed

ISSN:1420-8008    

DOI:10.1159/000107168

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1991

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

78 patients with Alzheimer''s disease (AD) were divided into four subgroups on the basis of their rate of cognitive decline. One group was distinguished by a higher age at onset (mean = 72, range 50–84), a fast cognitive decline, comparatively early emergence of symptoms indicating frontal disturbances, confusional symptomatology and no or mild parietal symptoms. Another group was distinguished by a lower age at onset (mean = 66, range 48–84), a low frequency of parietal, frontal and confusional symptomatology and a comparatively slow rate of cognitive decline. Differences in rate of cognitive decline and symptomatology between early-onset AD (EAD) and late-onset AD (LAD) were also investigated. Patients with LAD had a shorter duration of dementia and a faster rate of cognitive decline than patients with EAD. Parietal disturbances were more frequent in patients with EAD while confusional symptomatology and nonregional disturbances were more common in the LAD patie

ISSN:1420-8008    

DOI:10.1159/000107169

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1991

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 70 patients with Alzheimer''s disease (AD) and 36 age-matched healthy controls was examined for signs of immunological abnormality. In healthy adults, the CSF cytological picture was dominated by small lymphocytes and monocytes, together accounting for about 98% of cells. There were no changes related to sex or age in the cell composition. In the AD group, there was an increased percentage of monocytes compared with controls, but with great overlap between groups. Five AD patients displayed intrathecal synthesis of IgG, without a concomitant increase in the number of leukocytes, or a change in the cytological picture. This study shows that there is no major change in the cell-mediated immune system in AD. The discrete disturbance in the CSF cytological picture in AD may be a secondary phenomenon related to the cerebral degeneration.

ISSN:1420-8008    

DOI:10.1159/000107170

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1991

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 118 patients with primary degenerative dementia (PDD; Alzheimer''s disease) and 50 healthy controls were examined in order to investigate intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulin G (IgG), defined as an elevated IgG index (≧ 0.7) and/or the presence of oligoclonal IgG bands in CSF but not in serum. In the PDD group, 7 patients (6%) showed an intrathecal IgG synthesis. Eight patients (7%) showed oligoclonal IgG bands in serum and CSF, interpreted as a diffusion of IgG across the blood-brain barrier. In the early-onset PDD group, the mean IgG index was higher than in age-matched controls. The PDD patients with intrathecal IgG synthesis were less demented than those with normal CSF, but the intrathecal synthesis was not related to age, sex, or blood-brain barrier function. The findings suggest that immunological dysfunction could be related to PD

ISSN:1420-8008    

DOI:10.1159/000107171

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1991

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

We evaluated the clinical effectiveness of ceruletide in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type and its effects on neurotransmitters in cerebrospinal fluid. Mini mental state scores were significantly increased after ceruletide administration. Acetylcholinesterase activity in cerebrospinal fluid was significantly increased after administration, while somatostatin and monoamine metabolites showed no significant changes. Ceruletide improved intellectual function, and the improvement seemed to be due to activation of neurotransmitters in the acetylcholine system in the brain. Though the subjects were elderly patients, no side effects presenting clinical problems were observed. This warrants further detailed studies on the effectiveness of ceruletide in dementia of the Alzheimer type.

ISSN:1420-8008    

DOI:10.1159/000107172

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1991

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Biochemical substrates and activities of three enzymes were determined in cortical and subcortical brain areas from neuropathologically proven cases with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) and age-matched control cases. Protein and total lipid content, lecithin, triglycerides, cholesterol, uric acid, alkaline and acid phosphatases and cathepsin activity were determined in homogenates from frontal, temporal, and occipital cortex, hippocampus, the amygdaloid nucleus and the putamen. Protein content was reduced in the frontal cortex only. In the hippocampus, total lipids, triglycerides, lecithin, cholesterol, and acid phosphatase activity were reduced. Cathepsin activity was reduced in the putamen, and increased in the amygdaloid body. The other brain areas appeared unaltered. Neuropathological changes were most pronounced in the hippocampus. The data indicate that only in the hippocampus, the most severely affected brain region, major alterations of membrane constituents occur. Among the neocortical brain regions, only the frontal cortex showed some signs of degradation of cell membranes. The activity of cathepsin, a lysosomal protease potentially involved in amyloidogenesis, was differentially altered. The biochemical observations do not follow the classical pattern of neuropathological degeneration in DAT.

ISSN:1420-8008    

DOI:10.1159/000107173

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1991

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

We compare high-resolution cardiac gated brain magnetic resonance imaging of 19 young healthy subjects with a small group of demented subjects - mainly probable senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) - with varying degrees of ventricular enlargement. Computer-measured ventricular volume demonstrated cyclic ventricular size variations in all subjects. During cardiac systole, the lateral ventricles vary in size, an average of 10% in the young cohort (0.109 ± 0.061); the lateral ventricles enlarge, often after an initial decrease in size. A later volume expansion may occur, but the amount varies between subjects. One healthy 60-year-old subject, whose ventricles were slightly larger than those of the younger individuals, and all of the demented subjects, had less enlargement when compared to the average young subject. Two demented subjects with ventriculomegaly had small fluctuations: one had only 6.9% variation, the other subject with larger ventricles had no enlargement. One individual with SDAT had more than a 24% volume change while another subject''s increase was delayed. Our results suggest a complex interplay between blood flow, brain compliance and CSF outflow resistance. This small study further suggests that the choroid plexus plays an important role in systole-related lateral ventricular changes, that changes in choroid plexus function may occur in hydrocephalus and that CSF dynamics may be impaired in SDAT disease

ISSN:1420-8008    

DOI:10.1159/000107174

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1991

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

In patients with cerebrovascular disease the identification of risk factors might be hypothesized as being associated with the beginning of the process leading, in some of cases, to dementia. The studies described in this paper were designed to verify this hypothesis. The first study showed that specific signs of memory and attention impairment can be identified when hypertensives are compared to normal subjects of the same age. The second study demonstrated that these cognitive deficits are not evenly distributed among hypertensives (about one half of the patients do not show signs of these deficits) and that when signs are present they are independent of interference from emotional problems.

ISSN:1420-8008    

DOI:10.1159/000107175

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1991

数据来源: Karger