[The social "losses" of aging in relation to the problem of decompensation-compensation and the prevention of mental disorders in old age].

320 aged patients with psychogenic onset of mental disorders were examined. The authors analysed the different social stress-factors which induced psychic decompensation. On the basis of these data the proposal is made concerning the changes of gerontopsychiatric, psychologic and social services in the direction of widening outpatient clinics (in the form of the special consulting rooms in the psychiatric and general polyclinics).

[Problem of transient dementias of old age (clinico-diagnostic aspect)].

On the basis of the literature data and their own findings the authors discuss the problem of "transient" senile dementia. A special emphasis is given to depressive pseudodementias and somatogenic confusion imitating oligophrenia, particularly to their differentiation from true oligophrenia. The authors also describe supplementary differential-diagnostic tests with the administration of antidepressants (or tranquilizers) and psychostimulators (or nootropic agents), and control examination of mental functions prior to and after drug administration.

[Comparative concentration of serum free amino acids in patients with incipient and manifest organic neuropsychiatric disorders of vascular origin].

The authors conducted a study of the quantitative content of amino acids in the blood serum of patients with initial and expressed organic neuro-psychic disorders of a vascular genesis and in a group of normals of the same age. In patients with initial organic syndromes the content of cystin-cystein and treonine in the blood serum increased. In patients with expressed organic syndromes the content of cystin-cystein increased, while the content of arginine acid and leicyn-isoleicyn decreased as compared to the control group of elderly people.