[Behavioural disturbances in dement patients].

Behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia are common. The symptoms include anxiety, depression, and psychosis, thus mimicking delirium. A thorough somatic examination, including current medication, is therefore very important before initiating any treatment.

Elderly alcoholics in outpatient treatment.

Introduction: In Denmark, the treatment of alcoholics is provided by public outpatient alcohol clinics. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether elderly patients differ from younger patients with regards to sociodemographic data, drinking pattern and psychiatric comorbidity which may affect the organization of the treatment.

Material And Methods: The study covered 2,530 patients, who started psychosocial treatment at alcohol treatment outpatient clinics.

Serum surfactant protein D is correlated to development of dementia and augmented mortality.

Development of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), is associated with lipid dysregulation and inflammation. As the host defense lectin surfactant protein D (SP-D) has multiple effects in lipid homeostasis and inflammation, the correlation between SP-D concentrations and development of dementia was investigated. A total of 418 non-demented persons were included in the study and cognitively re-examined after 3 years, while survival was followed for 11 years.

The rate of cognitive decline in Parkinson disease.

Objectives: To measure the rate and predictors of change on the Mini-Mental State Examination in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and to compare that change with the Mini-Mental State Examination changes of patients with Alzheimer disease and nondemented subjects.

Patients: Patients with PD were drawn from a community-based cohort in Rogaland County, Norway. Those who were without cognitive impairment at disease onset and participated in 1 or more assessments after visit 1 were included and examined after 4 years (visit 2) and 8 years (visit 3).

Ability to perform activities of daily living is the main factor affecting quality of life in patients with dementia.

Background: Dementia is a chronic illness associated with a progressive loss of cognitive and intellectual abilities, such as memory, judgment and abstract thinking. The objective of this study was to assess the health utilities of patients with dementia in Europe and identify the key factors influencing their Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQol).

Methods: This study used cross-sectional data from the Odense study; a Danish cohort of patients aged 65-84 living in Odense, Denmark.

Prevalence and characteristics of dementia in Parkinson disease: an 8-year prospective study.

Background: Few longitudinal studies of dementia in Parkinson disease (PD) have been reported, and the proportion of patients with PD who eventually develop dementia is unknown.

Objective: To examine the 8-year prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors of dementia in patients with PD.

Methods: Patients were recruited from an epidemiological study of PD in the county of Rogaland, Norway, using explicit criteria for PD.

Effect of a Single Nighttime Dose of Oxazepam on Seizure Duration in Electroconvulsive Therapy.

In a double-blind crossover study, 12 depressed inpatients receiving bilateral electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) were given 22.5 mg oxazepam or placebo (identical tablets, randomized order) the night before treatment. Seizure duration was measured using the cuff method and a total of 20 pairs of measurements were made.