Subjective Memory Complaints: Symptoms and Outcome in Different Research Settings.

Subjective memory complaints (SMC) are important and may, in certain individuals, herald the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such Alzheimer's disease. However, they are very common and in some individuals will result from mood disorders/personality factors or systemic illnesses. Research has been hampered by the wide variety of criteria and neuropsychological tests used to define this disorder.

Regional cerebral blood flow single photon emission computed tomography for detection of Frontotemporal dementia in people with suspected dementia.

Background: In the UK, dementia affects 5% of the population aged over 65 years and 25% of those over 85 years. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) represents one subtype and is thought to account for up to 16% of all degenerative dementias. Although the core of the diagnostic process in dementia rests firmly on clinical and cognitive assessments, a wide range of investigations are available to aid diagnosis.

Paraneoplastic tumefactive demyelination with underlying combined germ cell cancer.

Paraneoplastic demyelination is a rare disorder of the central nervous system. We describe a 60-year-old man with tumefactive demyelination who had an underlying retroperitoneal germ cell cancer. He presented with visuospatial problems and memory loss and had a visual field defect.

Mesothelioma and anti-Ma paraneoplastic syndrome; heterogeneity in immunogenic tumours increases.

We present a patient with opsoclonus and diffuse cerebellar signs who had an anti-Ma2 antibody-associated paraneoplastic syndrome secondary to a sarcomatoid mesothelioma. This case highlights the importance of early tumour detection, instigation of therapeutic measures, and the heterogeneity of underlying malignancies in neurological paraneoplastic syndromes.

Accessing escalators: a central vestibular disorder after posterior fossa tumor removal.

About 20% of childhood tumors originate within the central nervous system. Progress in assessment and treatment of these lesions has led to improved survival rates. We describe a patient with a posterior fossa ependymoma who despite a remarkable recovery following treatment has been frustrated by difficulty in using escalators.

Strategies for the generation of parametric images of [11C]PIB with plasma input functions considering discriminations and reproducibility.

Pittsburgh compound B or [11C]PIB is an amyloid imaging agent which shows a clear differentiation between subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and controls. However the observed signal difference in other forms of dementia such as dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is smaller, and mild cognitively impaired (MCI) subjects and some healthy elderly normals may show intermediate levels of [11C]PIB binding. The cerebellum, a commonly used reference region for non-specific tracer uptake in [11C]PIB studies in AD may not be valid in Prion disorders or monogenic forms of AD.

Microglia, amyloid, and cognition in Alzheimer's disease: An [11C](R)PK11195-PET and [11C]PIB-PET study.

[11C](R)PK11195-PET is a marker of activated microglia while [11C]PIB-PET detects raised amyloid load. Here we studied in vivo the distributions of amyloid load and microglial activation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their relationship with cognitive status. Thirteen AD subjects had [11C](R)PK11195-PET and [11C]PIB-PET scans.

Symptoms of memory loss as predictors of cognitive impairment?: the use and reliability of memory ratings in a clinic population.

Background: Symptoms of memory loss are very common with estimated prevalence between 22% and 50% in those older than 65 years of age. Those with symptoms of memory loss and impaired performance on memory tests are at high risk of progression to Alzheimer disease. The relative importance of different aspects of the clinical history in predicting cognitive impairment is uncertain.

Amyloid load and cerebral atrophy in Alzheimer's disease: an 11C-PIB positron emission tomography study.

To determine the relationship between cerebral amyloid plaque load and rates of cerebral atrophy in Alzheimer's disease. (11)C-PIB((11)C-6-OH benzothiazole)PET (positron emission tomography) findings were correlated with volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements in nine subjects with mild to moderate AD. Analysis revealed a positive correlation between rates of whole brain atrophy and whole brain (p = 0.

Oedema with proteinuria in Gambian children--a descriptive study.

The clinical syndrome of oedema with proteinuria is an important cause of paediatric morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to assess its prevalence, clinical presentation and outcome in The Gambia, where the syndrome is perceived to be common but has not previously been studied. All children admitted with oedema and proteinuria to three hospitals in the Western region of The Gambia between January 1995 and June 1998 were identified retrospectively.