[EVALUATED SERUM LEVELS OF BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR IN MEN AND WOMEN WITH CHRONIC BRAIN ISCHEMIA].

We measured serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in 25 elderly women in 23 men-patients with chronic brain ischemia (CBI), and in 26 gender and age matched healthy controls. The serum levels of BDNF were significantly lower in patients with CBI as compared to healthy controls. The serum levels of BDNF were also lower in men with CBI (7815,14 x 10 ng/ml) in comparison to women-patients (8466,05 x 10 ng/ml). The average serum levels of BDNF in patients with CBI proved to be significantly correlated with kinesthetic praxis disorders (p < 0.05), degree of cognitive impairment (p < 0.01), depression level (p < 0.01), especially in men. The obtained data may be important for individualization of therapeutic intervention.

[Personality characteristics in elderly men and women with initiatory stages of brain ischemia].

52 elderly women and 36 matched by age and education men with initiatory stages of chronic brain ischemia (CBI) have been studied using comparative analysis of personality characteristics. Women with CBI had higher level of psychosocial stress than men. The results demonstrate the predomination of extrapunitive frustration reactions among women. Intropunitive ones prevailed in men. Women-patients had higher levels of excitement, stress and anxiety than men that surpassed women by the indicators of emotional security. The received data may be important for individualization of therapeutic intervention.

[Comparative characteristic of neuropsychological disorders and morphological brain changes in elderly men and women with chronic brain ischemia].

52 elderly women and 36 matched by age and education men with initiatory stages of chronic brain ischemia (CBI) have been studied using comparative investigation of neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings. The results revealed that the clock-drawing test was made by men with CBI better than by women that surpassed men by the indicators of attention and memory. The magnetic resonance imaging has shown that elderly men with CBI were characterized by more severe degree of hydrocephalus in comparison with women that surpassed men by the average rate of periventricular leucoaraiosis. The interrelations between the severity of cognitive disorders and the degree of hydrocephalus have been revealed in men with CBI as against women.

[Characteristics of clinical presentations and cerebral hemodynamic changes in elderly men and women with initiatory stages of dyscirculatory encephalopathy].

72 elderly women and 48 matched by age and education men with initiatory stages of dyscirculatory encephalopathy (DE) have been studied using comparative analysis of clinical, cognitive and sonographic characteristics. The results demonstrate the predomination of cognitive impairment and fine motor coordination disorders among men with DE. Psychovegetative and statolocomotor disorders prevailed in women-patients. It was shown by means of transcranial duplex scanning that elderly women with DE were characterized by more severe abnormal venous outflow from the brain.

[Chronic gastritis: keys to understanding the internal picture of the disease]. / Khronicheskii gastrit: kliuchi k ponimaniiu vnutrennei kartiny bolezni.

Complex examination of 311 patients with chronic gastritis allows to differentiate three clinical types of this disease. The first type is characterized by superficial mucous disorders with constant or increased secretory function and motility of the stomach. It has relapsing course with moderate decrease of patient's life quality. The abdominal pains and dyspepsia are observed only at periods of exacerbation. Anxiety-phobic and anxiety-depressive tendencies prevail in the mental status. The attitude to illness differs mainly by emotional-willed disorders. Insomnia is manifested by a slight delay in awakening. Focal atrophic gastritis with moderate decrease in secretory and motor functions of the stomach is typical for the second type. It develops as relapsing or monotonous suffering with insignificant decrease in patient's life quality. The pains and dyspepsia in residual state persist after exacerbation reduction. The changes in the mental status are rare. The patient's attitude to the illness is basically adequate. Slight disturbances of falling asleep prevail among sleep disorders. Diffuse atrophic gastritis with secretory failure reaching the degree of an achlorhydria and hypokinesis of stomach are observed in the third type. The course of the disease is basically monotonous with pronounced decrease in patient's life quality, with the obstinate abdominal pains and dyspepsia irrespective of the exacerbation phases of chronic gastritis. A combination of asthenic and neurotic complaints and combined sleep disorders are typical. Emotional disorders with disharmonization of personality accompanied by signs of their social and mental disadaptation are observed in the patient's mental status.

[Risk factors of the development of the changes in the nervous system after exposure to chromium]. / Faktory riska razvitiia izmenenii nervnoi sistemy pri deistvii na organizm khroma.

Due to the mathematical method of maximum probability it was established that under long-term chromium exposure possible factors of risk of changes in the workers' nervous system were as follows: hereditary and familial predisposition to allergic and vegetovascular disorders, negative Rh, the haptoglobin type 2-2 and the peculiarities of the major cerebral hemisphere functioning manifested by the decrease of sensomotor dominance. There was developed an estimating and prognostic table which made it possible to identify groups with adverse and favourable health forecast and to carry out necessary differentiated curative and preventive activities.

[Pathogenetic characteristics of diseases of the peripheral nervous system in workers having contact with chromium compounds]. / Patogeneticheskie osobennosti zabolevanii perifericheskoi nervnoi sistemy u rabotaiushchikh v kontakte s soedinenniami khroma.

When analyzing the results of clinical neurologic, neurophysiologic, psychologic and laboratory instrumental study of 105 chromium-exposed patients with lumbosacral diseases of the peripheric nervous system there were detected clinical and pathogenetic characteristics of this pathology: distinct manifestations of segmental (homolateral) and generalized vegetovascular disorders, deficiency of sympathetic activation, emotional shifts accompanied by disquieting, depressive and hypochondriac tendencies, elevation of the cerebrovascular tension, body sensitization to chromium, increase in its blood serum and urine content. The account of these characteristics is very important for the improvement of the diagnostic process and raising efficacy of treatment of diseases of the peripheric nervous system in chromium-exposed patients.