Efficacy of benzodiazepines and related drugs in patients over 75 years of age and impact on cognition.

Background: In France, despite the known risks, the use of benzodiazepines and related (BZD) is excessive, particularly in older populations. Over the age of 70, 1 person in 2 uses BZD on a long-term basis (more than 3 years), whereas it is recommended not to exceed 12 weeks. To compensate for the numerous undesirable effects and to maintain a positive benefit-risk balance, these treatments must be very effective and improve significantly the quality of life.

Sleep Apnea Syndrome in an Elderly Population Admitted to a Geriatric Unit: Prevalence and Effect on Cognitive Function.

Background: Sleep apnea leads to cognitive impairment in older patients, but its association with neurodegeneration remains controversial, and most studies do not distinguish between the more common obstructive form (OSAS) and the rarer central form (CSAS).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of the different forms of sleep apnea in a cohort of cognitively impaired elderly patients (>70 years) and to investigate their associations with cognitive deficit, weighted against known risk factors for neurodegeneration.

Methods: Overnight polygraphy was performed for 76 consecutive patients admitted to our geriatric unit.

A Particularly Tragic Case of Possible Alzheimer's Disease, that of Marshal Pétain.

After World War I and more particularly in June 1940, the prestige of French Marshal Philippe Pétain, considered as the winning general the battle of Verdun, was very high. He became President of Council while the French army was unable to stop the German offensives. But five years later he was sentenced to death for high treason.

Decreased Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow Is Associated With Cognitive Deficit in Elderly Patients.

Disruptions in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow during aging could compromise protein clearance from the brain and contribute to the etiology of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). To determine whether CSF flow is associated with cognitive deficit in elderly patients (>70 years). We studied 92 patients admitted to our geriatric unit for non-acute reasons using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) to calculate their ventricular and spinal CSF flow, and assessed their global cognitive status, memory, executive functions, and praxis.

Specific Effects of Anti-Hypertensive Treatment in an Older Patient with Dementia.

Dementia is one of the most common health problems in the world. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. The presence of vascular risk factors such as hypertension (HT) may increase the risk of AD [1,2].