The Association Between Quantitative Measures of Dementia and of Senile Change in the Cerebral Grey Matter of Elderly Subjects

1968 ◽  
Vol 114 (512) ◽  
pp. 797-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Blessed ◽  
B. E. Tomlinson ◽  
Martin Roth
Keyword(s):  
Senile Dementia ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Central Position ◽  
Community Practice ◽  
Cerebral Grey Matter ◽  
The Social ◽  
Calculated Risk ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Morbidity Risk

The ageing of many populations in recent years has directed increasing attention to the social, medical and biological problems of senescence. The psychological changes associated with ageing occupy a central position in inquiries in this field. The expectation of mental disorder shows a steep increase with advancing chronological age, and beyond 75 years a large part of this increase is accounted for by disorders associated with degenerative changes in the central nervous system for which we lack remedies at the present time. Larsson et al. (1963) have estimated that the aggregate morbidity risk for these disorders up to the age of 70 is 0·4 per cent., up to age 75, 1·2 per cent. and up to age 80, 5 per cent. For higher ages estimates were probably less reliable, but the calculated risk up to the age of 90 was 5·2 per cent. In a survey of a random sample of elderly people aged 65 and over in the general population, Kay et al. (1964), found a total of 4·2 per cent. of elderly subjects to be suffering from senile dementia, 2·9 per cent. being mild cases. The condition is generally recognized as being a major cause of serious infirmity among the elderly in psychiatric, geriatric, general medical and community practice alike.

Anti-Cholinergic Drugs and Memory: the Effects of Benzhexol on Memory in a Group of Geriatric Patients

1982 ◽  
Vol 140 (5) ◽  
pp. 470-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Potamianos ◽  
J. M. Kellett
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
Senile Dementia ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Word List ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Associate Learning ◽  
Immediate Recall

SummaryA double blind trial on the effects of 2 mg of benzhexol on memory was performed on thirteen elderly subjects without cognitive impairment. The tests given 90 minutes after the drug or placebo involved learning a list of ten words, a paired-associate learning task, learning a short story and a test of digit span. Subjects were asked to recall the word list one minute after an interfering task, and 6 items from the story directly. Digit span involved immediate recall and the paired learning was measured by the number of trials necessary to learn. All tests were significantly impaired by the benzhexol except for digit span. This suggests that muscarinic blocking drugs should be avoided in the elderly, as they mimic the memory deficits found in senile dementia of Alzheimer type.

Computed Tomography in the Elderly 2. Senile Dementia: Diagnosis and Functional Impairment

1980 ◽  
Vol 136 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin J. Jacoby ◽  
Raymond Levy
Keyword(s):  
Senile Dementia ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Cerebral Atrophy ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Cognitive Test ◽  
Cortical Atrophy ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Computed Tomographic ◽  
Dementia Patients ◽  
Ct Data

SummaryClinical, psychometric and computed tomographic (CT) data are presented on three groups of elderly subjects: 50 normals, 40 patients with senile dementia and 41 suffering from affective disorder. Demented subjects showed significantly more CT evidence of cerebral atrophy than non-demented subjects, but there was considerable overlap. Although patients with a history or clinical signs of cerebral infarction were specifically excluded, such infarcts were found more often in CT scans of the dementia subjects than in the others, particularly when the diastolic blood pressure was raised. When correlating cognitive impairment with CT changes, ventricular size emerged as more important in the dementia patients, in contrast to the controls, in whom cortical atrophy was related to lower scores on a cognitive test. Other interesting findings included an inverse relationship between cortical atrophy and paranoid delusions.

scholarly journals Az időskori gyógyszerterápia alapjai

2019 ◽  
Vol 160 (23) ◽  
pp. 896-907
Author(s):  
András Telekes ◽  
Dániel Deme
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Patients ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Pharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics ◽  
Important Place ◽  
Pharmaceutical Therapy ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Developed Countries

Abstract: The proportion of elderly patients is getting increased in the developed countries as a consequence of which pharmacotherapy takes a more and more important place in the healthcare system. Important biological alterations are characteristic for the elderly subjects, which have effect on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the pharmaceuticals. Gradually decreased kidney function may demand the modification of the administration of the pharmaceuticals. Certain pharmaceuticals and drug-interactions are potentially dangerous for this population. Therefore several factors have to be taken into account in conjunction with the therapy of elderly patients including co-morbidities, cognitive function and the social state. At the same time, the risk–benefit ratio of the pharmaceuticals is the worst among elderly patients with pharmaceutical therapy including polypragmasy. Thus, it is inevitable for the development of geriatric pharmacotherapy that the physiologic alteration of elderly has to be taken into account not only in the daily practice but also during the development and formulation of a pharmaceutical. The present paper gives an overview of the most important factors influencing the pharmacotherapy of the elderly. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(23): 896–907.

Differences between young and elderly subjects in seasonal and circadian variations of total plasma proteins and blood volume as reflected by hemoglobin, hematocrit, and erythrocyte counts.

1986 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 801-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Touitou ◽  
C Touitou ◽  
A Bogdan ◽  
A Reinberg ◽  
A Auzeby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Volume ◽  
Plasma Protein ◽  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Plasma Proteins ◽  
Senile Dementia ◽  
Young Men ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Total Plasma ◽  
Circadian Variations

Abstract Circadian and seasonal rhythms in total plasma proteins were documented in healthy young men (around 24 years old), and in elderly subjects (both sexes), including senile-dementia patients in their eighties. The concentration of plasma proteins within a given group changed predictably (7-13%), depending on the hour of sampling and the season. Concentrations decreased noticeably around 04:00 h, then peaked around 08:00 h (shortly after waking). The 24-h mean concentrations of total plasma proteins were lower in the elderly groups than in the young men. But the seasonal variations of the 24-h mean values were strikingly larger in the elderly groups (7-8 g/L) than in the young men (2-5 g/L). Moreover, the circadian profiles of plasma proteins differed from the profiles of hematocrit, hemoglobin, and erythrocyte counts. Evidently, circadian variations of blood volume may not be the only element accounting for the variations of plasma protein concentrations. We suggest that the rhythms in plasma protein concentrations be taken into account when reference values are set. Circadian and seasonal variations in plasma proteins may also significantly affect the transport and binding of drugs, especially in the aged.

Impact of Anesthesia on the Cognitive Functioning of the Elderly

1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Ritchie ◽  
Catherine Polge ◽  
Guilhem de Roquefeuil ◽  
Michel Djakovic ◽  
Bernard Ledesert
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Senile Dementia ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Cognitive Disorder ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Anesthetic Agents

Exposure to general anesthesia has been suggested as a possible cause of long-term cognitive impairment in elderly subjects. The present study reviews the literature in this field in order to describe postoperative cognitive impairment in elderly populations, to determine to what extent this may be attributed to anesthetic agents, and to consider evidence of a causal relationship between anesthesia and onset of senile dementia. A systematic literature search was conducted using five bibliographic databases (PASCAL, Medline, Excerpta Medica, Psychological Abstracts, and Science Citation Index). Significant cognitive dysfunction was found to be common in elderly persons 1 to 3 days after surgery, but reports of longer-term impairment are inconsistent due to the heterogeneity of the procedures used and populations targeted in such studies. Incidence rates vary widely according to type of surgery, suggesting that factors other than anesthesia explain a significant proportion of the observed variance. Anesthesia appears to be associated with longer-term cognitive disorder and the acceleration of senile dementia, but only in a small number of cases, suggesting the existence of other interacting etiological factors.

scholarly journals Chronic Pain in the Elderly: Mechanisms and Distinctive Features

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1256
Author(s):  
Andrea Tinnirello ◽  
Silvia Mazzoleni ◽  
Carola Santi
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Pain Sensitivity ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Peripheral Sensitization ◽  
Adequate Treatment ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Pain In The Elderly

Background: Chronic pain is a major issue affecting more than 50% of the older population and up to 80% of nursing homes residents. Research on pain in the elderly focuses mainly on the development of clinical tools to assess pain in patients with dementia and cognitive impairment or on the efficacy and tolerability of medications. In this review, we searched for evidence of specific pain mechanisms or modifications in pain signals processing either at the cellular level or in the central nervous system. Methods: Narrative review. Results: Investigation on pain sensitivity led to conflicting results, with some studies indicating a modest decrease in age-related pain sensitivity, while other researchers found a reduced pain threshold for pressure stimuli. Areas of the brain involved in pain perception and analgesia are susceptible to pathological changes such as gliosis and neuronal death and the effectiveness of descending pain inhibitory mechanisms, particularly their endogenous opioid component, also appears to deteriorate with advancing age. Hyperalgesia is more common at older age and recovery from peripheral nerve injury appears to be delayed. In addition, peripheral nociceptors may contribute minimally to pain sensation at either acute or chronic time points in aged populations. Conclusions: Elderly subjects appear to be more susceptible to prolonged pain development, and medications acting on peripheral sensitization are less efficient. Pathologic changes in the central nervous system are responsible for different pain processing and response to treatment. Specific guidelines focusing on specific pathophysiological changes in the elderly are needed to ensure adequate treatment of chronic pain conditions.

scholarly journals Age-Related Changes in Muscle Fatigue Resistance in Humans

2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 220-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Ming Chan ◽  
Asim J. Raja ◽  
Fay J. Strohschein ◽  
Katherine Lechelt
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Muscle Fatigue ◽  
Fatigue Resistance ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Voluntary Activation ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Objective:The goal of this study was to compare the relative contributions from the muscle and the central nervous system to muscle fatigue resistance in aging.Methods:Each subject carried out 90 s of sustained maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) of the thumb using the thenar and forearm thumb muscles. Contractile capacity of the thenar muscles was assessed through tetanic stimulation of the median nerve. Interpolated doublets delivered during an MVC represented the overall voluntary activation level while transcranial cortical stimulation with an electromagnetic stimulator was used to assess motor output upstream from the corticomotoneuronal pathway.Results:Nine elderly subjects [four females and five males, 70±9 years old (mean±SD)] and 10 younger subjects (five females and five males, 30±6 years old) were tested. After the fatiguing exercise, the elderly group's MVC declined by 29% as opposed to 47% in the younger group (p<0.01). The elderly group's greater fatigue resistance was accounted for by increased fatigue resistance at the muscle level as well as in the central nervous system. At least some of the decline in the central motor drive was upstream from the corticomotoneuronal pathway.Conclusion:The higher muscle fatigue resistance in the elderly group was attributable to differences in both the peripheral and central nervous systems.

Life Events and Senile Dementia Affective Symptoms

1995 ◽  
Vol 166 (5) ◽  
pp. 613-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Orrell ◽  
Paul Bebbington
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Senile Dementia ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Dementia Patients ◽  
Affective Symptoms ◽  
The Social ◽  
Severe Life Events

BackgroundPrevious research in the elderly has linked threatening life events with depression. Dementia sufferers are known to be sensitive to stressful changes in their daily life such as relocation. This study investigates whether threatening life events are associated with depressive symptoms in dementia sufferers.MethodUsing the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule, this study examined life events before admission in a group of 70 dementia patients compared with two control groups: dementia sufferers in the community and mentally fit elderly people matched for age and sex.ResultsLife events with severe threat were not significantly more frequent in the dementia patients than in two control groups. However, depressive symptoms in the dementia sufferers were significantly associated with independent severe life events. This strong association was maintained when a multivariate analysis was used to control for the effects of other social factors and severity of cognitive impairment. This association appears to be specific to the threat aspect of life events since there was no association between depressive symptoms and events relating to change in the social environment.ConclusionIn dementia sufferers, threatening life events are associated with depressive symptoms. This means that dementia sufferers are responsive to stress in the same way as cognitively intact individuals, and clinicians need to be more aware of the social influences on them.

scholarly journals The Sulfation Code of Tauopathies: Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in the Prion Like Spread of Tau Pathology

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dylan Mah ◽  
Jing Zhao ◽  
Xinyue Liu ◽  
Fuming Zhang ◽  
Jian Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heparan Sulfate ◽  
Tau Protein ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Senile Dementia ◽  
Prion Diseases ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans ◽  
Tau Pathology ◽  
Biochemical Basis ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Tauopathies are a heterogenous family of progressive neurodegenerative diseases defined by the appearance of proteinaceous lesions within the brain composed of abnormally folded species of Microtubule Associated Protein Tau (tau). Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), the most common tauopathy, is the leading cause of cognitive decline among the elderly and is responsible for more than half of all cases of senile dementia worldwide. The characteristic pathology of many tauopathies—AD included—presents as Neurofibrillary Tangles (NFTs), insoluble inclusions found within the neurons of the central nervous system composed primarily of tau protein arranged into Paired Helical Fibrils (PHFs). The spatial extent of this pathology evolves in a remarkably consistent pattern over the course of disease progression. Among the leading hypotheses which seek to explain the stereotypical progression of tauopathies is the prion model, which proposes that the spread of tau pathology is mediated by the transmission of self-propagating tau conformers between cells in a fashion analogous to the mechanism of communicable prion diseases. Protein-glycan interactions between tau and Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans (HSPGs) have been implicated as a key facilitator in each stage of the prion-like propagation of tau pathology, from the initial secretion of intracellular tau protein into the extracellular matrix, to the uptake of pathogenic tau seeds by cells, and the self-assembly of tau into higher order aggregates. In this review we outline the biochemical basis of the tau-HS interaction and discuss our current understanding of the mechanisms by which these interactions contribute to the propagation of tau pathology in tauopathies, with a particular focus on AD.

HUBUNGAN AKTIVITAS FISIK DENGAN FUNGSI KOGNITIF LANSIA DI PANTI WREDHA YAYASAN SOSIAL SALIB PUTIH SALATIGA

2019 ◽  
pp. 137-143
Author(s):  
Dennys Christovel Dese ◽  
Cahyo Wibowo
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
The Social ◽  
Normal Cognitive Function ◽  
Intellectual Capacity ◽  
Independent Variable

Peningkatan jumlah lansia setiap tahunnya harus dijadikan perhatian, akibat adanya peningkatan jumlah lansia masalah yang dihadapi akan menjadi semakin kompleks, salah satunya adalah masalah yang berkaitan dengan gejala penuaan. Menurunnya kapasitas intelektual berhubungan erat dengan fungsi kognitif pada lansia. Aktivitas fisik diidentifikasi sebagai salah satu faktor yang mempengaruhi fungsi kognitif. Aktivitas fisik bermanfaat untuk lansia sebagai pencegahan dan demensia. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian analitik observasional dengan menggunakan pendekatan cross sectional. Penelitian dilakukan di yayasan sosial Panti Wredha Salib Putih Salatiga pada bulan Juni 2018. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah lansia yang berumur ?60 tahun. Subjek pada penelitian ini berjumlah 16 responden. Variabel independen dalam penelitian ini adalah aktivitas fisik yang dinilai dengan menggunakan instrument GPAQ. Sedangkan variabel dependen dalam penelitian ini adalah fungsi kognitif yang dinilai dengan instrument MMSE. Terdapat 4 orang (25%) yang masuk dalam kategori fungsi kognitif normal dengan kategori aktifitas fisik sedang 1 orang dan aktifitas berat 3 orang, kemudian yang termasuk dalam kategori gangguan fungsi kognitif ringan sebanyak 11 orang (68,75%), dengan kategori aktifitas fisik sedang 8 orang dan aktifitas ringan 3 orang. Sedangkan yang termasuk dalam kategori gangguan fungsi kognitif berat, terdapat 1 orang (6,25%) dengan kategori aktifitasnya ringan. Taraf signifikansi antar variabel tingkat aktifitas fisik dan fungsi kognitif pada lansia adalah p=0.007 atau p<0,05, sehingga dapat disimpulkan ada  hubungan antara tingkat aktifitas fisik dengan fungsi kognitif pada lansia.   Increasing the number of elderly people every year should be a concern, due to an increase in the number of elderly problems faced will become increasingly complex, one of which is a problem related to the symptoms of aging. Decreased intellectual capacity is closely related to cognitive function in the elderly. Physical activity is identified as one of the factors that influence cognitive function. Physical activity is beneficial for the elderly as prevention and dementia. This study was an observational analytic study using a cross sectional approach. The study was conducted at the social foundation nursing home in the white cross in June 2018. The population in this study was elderly aged ≥60 years. The subjects in this study were 16 respondents. The independent variable in this study is physical activity that is assessed using the GPAQ instrument. While the dependent variable in this study was cognitive function which was assessed by the MMSE instrument. There are 4 people (25%) who fall into the category of normal cognitive function with moderate physical activity categories 1 person and heavy activities 3 people, then those included in the category of mild cognitive function disorders are 11 people (68.75%), with the category of physical activity being 8 people and 3 light activities. While those included in the category of severe cognitive function disorders, there is 1 person (6.25%) with a mild activity category. The significance level between the level of physical activity and cognitive function in the elderly is p = 0.007 or p <0.05, so it can be concluded that there is a relationship between the level of physical activity and cognitive function in the elderly.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document