- Email: [email protected]
38. An evaluation of the use of flash and pattern visual evoked potentials in the diagnosis of senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT)
using an IgG index (Tibbling et al. 1977). Oligoclonal bands (OCBs) were investigated with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis ( P A G E ) and isoelectric focusing (IEF) on agarose followed by immunoblotting with antihuman IgG. No patients with A D and only 4 patients with VD had elevated IgG index, and no statistically significant differences were found in the indexes between the groups. One A D patient had OCBs in the CSF, and 3 VD patients had OCDs in both serum and CSF after immunoblotting on IEF but not after immunoblotting on PAGE. One VD patient had 3 bands in serum but no bands in CSF after IEF.
The presence of OCBs did not correlate with elevated IgG index. No OCBs were found in control sera and CSFs. For comparison, the majority of patients with multiple sclerosis had OCBs in CSF, also after PAGE. In conclusion, only occasional increase of intrathecal protein synthesis was found in patients with A D and VD. The presence of OCBs in some demented patients may be related to acute or persistent vascular damage of CNS. Methodological differences explain at least part of the conflicting results published earlier.
38. An evaluation of the use of flash and pattern visual evoked potentials in the diagnosis of senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) M.P. Philpot, D. Amin and R. Levy (London, UK) This study examines the relationship between the magnitude of latency delay of flash and pattern reversal evoked visual potentials and the severity of S D A T as indicated by neuropsychological and clinical data. Specifically, the hypothesis that the difference in latency of the 'flash P2' peak and the 'pattern reversal
P100' peak may be used as a diagnostic indicator of dementia (Harding et al. Brit. J. Psychiat. 1985, 147:532) is tested. While this measure does significantly correlate with severity of dementia its clinical usefulness is limited in view of the relatively low sensitivity and specificity in differentiating between patients with S D A T and depression.
39. A comparative study of memory and learning deficits in Alzheimer-type dementia and Parkinson's disease using a computerised test battery B.J. Sahakian, R.G. Morris, J.L. Evenden, A. Heald, R. Levy and T.W. Robbins (London and Cambridge, UK) Progress in defining the neurochemical and neuropathological post-mortem correlates of Parkinson's disease and dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) has given impetus to the neuropsychological analysis of the cognitive deficits of these disorders. In view of the possibly increased incidence of dementia in Parkinson's disease and because of the overlap between the neuropathological signs exhibited by this group and that with DAT, a detailed comparison of the cognitive profiles of the two populations is now warranted (see for review Edwardson et al. in S.D. Iversen (Ed.) Psychopharmacology: recent advances and future prospects; O U P Oxford, 1985:130). We
designed a battery of tests of various aspects of visual memory utilizing a touch sensitive screen in conjunction with a microcomputer, for comparing three groups, together with appropriate age- and IQ-matched controls: patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, either (i) newly diagnosed, and not yet receiving medication (UNMED PD) or (ii) those later in the course, and receiving medication (MED PD); and patients early in the course of D A T (DAT). While both PD and D A T patients showed impairments on the computerised tests of visuospatial memory and learning compared with their control groups, the profiles of impairment shown were different. The implication of these differing profiles for psychological processes affected in the two diseases will be discussed.
40. Cerebral cation shifts and amino acids in multi-infarct and Alzheimer dementia J.B.P. Gramsbergen, L. Veenma-van der Duin, K. Venema and J. Korf (Groningen, The Netherlands) Changes in sodium and potassium levels in brain tissue have been used as a marker for neuronal death as assessed in neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Huntington's chorea) and experimental brain damage (caused by ischemia or excitotoxins such as kainate and quinolinic acid). In several cortical and hippocampal areas we ob14
served a significantly increased sodium/potassium ratio in brain tissue obtained post-mortem from multi-infarct (MID) and Alzheimer demented (AD) patients as compared to that from age-matched controis. In the hippocampus of one A D group we found aspartate (Asp) and glutamate (Glu) levels to be significantly decreased. In another A D + MID group, however, taurine (Tau) levels were decreased by 50% in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. In all investigated brain areas (cortex, hippocampus, amygdala)
The presence of OCBs did not correlate with elevated IgG index. No OCBs were found in control sera and CSFs. For comparison, the majority of patients with multiple sclerosis had OCBs in CSF, also after PAGE. In conclusion, only occasional increase of intrathecal protein synthesis was found in patients with A D and VD. The presence of OCBs in some demented patients may be related to acute or persistent vascular damage of CNS. Methodological differences explain at least part of the conflicting results published earlier.
38. An evaluation of the use of flash and pattern visual evoked potentials in the diagnosis of senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) M.P. Philpot, D. Amin and R. Levy (London, UK) This study examines the relationship between the magnitude of latency delay of flash and pattern reversal evoked visual potentials and the severity of S D A T as indicated by neuropsychological and clinical data. Specifically, the hypothesis that the difference in latency of the 'flash P2' peak and the 'pattern reversal
P100' peak may be used as a diagnostic indicator of dementia (Harding et al. Brit. J. Psychiat. 1985, 147:532) is tested. While this measure does significantly correlate with severity of dementia its clinical usefulness is limited in view of the relatively low sensitivity and specificity in differentiating between patients with S D A T and depression.
39. A comparative study of memory and learning deficits in Alzheimer-type dementia and Parkinson's disease using a computerised test battery B.J. Sahakian, R.G. Morris, J.L. Evenden, A. Heald, R. Levy and T.W. Robbins (London and Cambridge, UK) Progress in defining the neurochemical and neuropathological post-mortem correlates of Parkinson's disease and dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) has given impetus to the neuropsychological analysis of the cognitive deficits of these disorders. In view of the possibly increased incidence of dementia in Parkinson's disease and because of the overlap between the neuropathological signs exhibited by this group and that with DAT, a detailed comparison of the cognitive profiles of the two populations is now warranted (see for review Edwardson et al. in S.D. Iversen (Ed.) Psychopharmacology: recent advances and future prospects; O U P Oxford, 1985:130). We
designed a battery of tests of various aspects of visual memory utilizing a touch sensitive screen in conjunction with a microcomputer, for comparing three groups, together with appropriate age- and IQ-matched controls: patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, either (i) newly diagnosed, and not yet receiving medication (UNMED PD) or (ii) those later in the course, and receiving medication (MED PD); and patients early in the course of D A T (DAT). While both PD and D A T patients showed impairments on the computerised tests of visuospatial memory and learning compared with their control groups, the profiles of impairment shown were different. The implication of these differing profiles for psychological processes affected in the two diseases will be discussed.
40. Cerebral cation shifts and amino acids in multi-infarct and Alzheimer dementia J.B.P. Gramsbergen, L. Veenma-van der Duin, K. Venema and J. Korf (Groningen, The Netherlands) Changes in sodium and potassium levels in brain tissue have been used as a marker for neuronal death as assessed in neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Huntington's chorea) and experimental brain damage (caused by ischemia or excitotoxins such as kainate and quinolinic acid). In several cortical and hippocampal areas we ob14
served a significantly increased sodium/potassium ratio in brain tissue obtained post-mortem from multi-infarct (MID) and Alzheimer demented (AD) patients as compared to that from age-matched controis. In the hippocampus of one A D group we found aspartate (Asp) and glutamate (Glu) levels to be significantly decreased. In another A D + MID group, however, taurine (Tau) levels were decreased by 50% in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. In all investigated brain areas (cortex, hippocampus, amygdala)