[Gerontopsychiatric management in a university clinic].

The patients of the Heidelberg Section of Gerontopsychiatry in 1990 (99 persons aged between 52 and 97 years) were studied in respect to their social data, medical history, severity of illness, and extent of their need of nursing care. Of special interest was how they coped after release from the hospital. In comparison to a study performed in 1982/83, there were many more old and (especially physically) severely impaired patients.

Predominant abnormality in cerebral glucose utilization in late-onset dementia of the Alzheimer type: a cross-sectional comparison against advanced late-onset and incipient early-onset cases.

Global cerebral blood flow and the cerebral metabolic rates of oxygen, CO2, glucose and lactate were studied in 11 patients aged 61-78 years who had been clinically diagnosed as suffering from incipient late-onset dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT), and in 7 patients aged 66-83 years, in whom advanced late-onset DAT had been diagnosed, using the Kety-Schmidt technique. In incipient late-onset DAT, the predominant abnormality was a 45% reduction in cerebral glucose utilization, whereas cerebral blood flow and the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen were diminished by only 17% and 18%, respectively. A severe imbalance between oxygen utilization and glucose utilization thus became obvious.

Ammonia is endogenously generated in the brain in the presence of presumed and verified dementia of Alzheimer type.

The healthy, mature, non-starved brain was found to take up a small amount of ammonia on average 7.22 +/- 0.72 micrograms/100 g x min.

[The long-term course of depression and dementia in the aged].

Results of measurements of geropsychiatric syndromes are different. The statements are based on application of various methods and investigations of non-comparable populations. Nevertheless it is possible to draw the following conclusions out of the scientific papers and experiences of our own: A chronicity of depressive long-term courses is expected on old and higher age.