Epidemiological studies, modern clinical, neuroimaging, neuropsychological, molecular biological, and genetic studies have considerably enhanced our knowledge about ageing processes of the human brain, its sequelae, diagnostic, and therapeutic possibilities and limits. In addition to Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative dementias, the impact of cerebrovascular lesions and their risk factors in the pathogenesis of cognitive disorders of the aged are increasingly acknowledged, and the recognition of mild cognitive impairment as a frequent initial stage of developing dementia is becoming...

Dementia is a major health problem that becomes increasingly common with advancing age. Despite recent progress in neurobiology and molecular genetics, the aetiology and pathogenesis of most dementia disorders are still poorly understood, and early exact diagnosis as a prerequisite of effective treatment needs to be improved. The present volume includes the contributions of renowned experts in the field of neurodegeneration presented at the International Symposium "Ageing and Dementia 1999, September 24 26, 1999 at Graz. It focusses on genetics, epidemiology, new neuroimaging techniques, and...

Ageing and dementia are closely related conditions. Increasing age of the general population causes increasing incidence of dementing disorders in later life, although cognitive impairment is not necessarily a consequence of advancing age. The book presents the papers of the International Symposium on Ageing and Dementia, October 17 19, 1997 in Graz, where internationally renowned experts in the field of ageing and dementia gave an overview of the current knowledge about the epidemiology, pathomorphology, clinical diagnosis and course of brain ageing processes and related dementing disorders,...

Dementia is an acquired disorder of higher cerebral functions and cognition. Because of increasing life expectancy dementia poses a major health and socio economic problem. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 70-90% of mental decline in the elderly. Degenerative non-Alzheimer's dementi as are responsi ble for 7-30%. These include a variety of disorders clinically characterised by progressive cognitive dysfunction often combined with focal neurological def icits, e.g. Parkinson-plus syndromes, Lewy body dementia, lobar and multisys tem atrophies, other neurodegenerative disorders, and prion...