ABSTRACT
Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been linked to genetic defects on chromosome 21 in some families, but most elderly cases appear to be sporadic and may, at least in part, involve environmental risk factors. Several lines of evidence suggest that aluminium may be involved in the aetiology of AD. However, despite universal exposure to aluminium in the diet, only some people develop the disease. We have developed a test of aluminium absorption using an aluminium citrate drink, to examine the hypothesis that sufferers from AD show increased aluminium absorption. In a younger group of AD patients aluminium absorption was significantly raised compared with age-matched controls. Aluminium absorption increased with age in the control group but was not significantly raised in older AD patients when compared with age-matched controls.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology , Citrates/pharmacokinetics , Intestinal Absorption/physiology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Aluminum/pharmacokinetics , Alzheimer Disease/etiology , Blood-Brain Barrier/physiology , Brain/physiopathology , Citrates/administration & dosage , Citric Acid , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Female , Humans , Male , Metabolic Clearance Rate/physiology , Middle Aged , Reference Values , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Plasma zinc levels were measured in 14 patients with primary affective disorder on admission to hospital; they were compared with plasma zinc levels in group of 14 age- and sex-matched controls. A significant difference in zinc levels was found between the 2 groups. Plasma zinc levels of 9 of the depressed patients on admission to hospital and at the point of discharge were compared; a significant increase in zinc levels was detected.
Subject(s)
Depressive Disorder/blood , Zinc/deficiency , Adult , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Zinc/bloodABSTRACT
A case of an unusual pica in a patient with anorexia nervosa is described. The patient was also found to have iron-deficiency anaemia. The relationship of mineral deficiency to pica and anorexia nervosa is discussed.
Subject(s)
Anorexia Nervosa/complications , Pica/complications , Anemia, Hypochromic/complications , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Stomatitis/complicationsABSTRACT
The study examined the mortality experiences of a population of mentally handicapped in-patients between 1983 and 1987. Demographic data and factors related to terminal illness and cause of death were considered. The findings suggested a continued trend towards increased longevity and indicated a number of groups at risk of early death.
Subject(s)
Hospitals, Psychiatric , Intellectual Disability/mortality , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Cause of Death , Down Syndrome/complications , Epilepsy/complications , Female , Humans , Life Change Events , Male , Mental Disorders/complications , Middle AgedABSTRACT
In Prudhoe Hospital, a large mental-handicap hospital of 1000 residents, it was found that of the 94 deaths that occurred between 1982 and 1986, three were closely associated with the habit of pica. These deaths occurred in severely and profoundly handicapped males, whose average age was 32, compared with an average age of death of 58 for the combined groups of severely and profoundly mentally handicapped patients (22 cases), and an average age of death of 60 for all degrees of handicap (94 cases). It seems likely that the habit of pica constitutes a cause of considerable morbidity and mortality in certain institutionalised patients.
Subject(s)
Death, Sudden/etiology , Intellectual Disability/psychology , Pica/complications , Adult , Esophagus/injuries , Foreign Bodies/complications , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
Mentally handicapped people are increasingly being subjected to the stresses of everyday life, and bereavement represents a particularly potent stress. This report considers the case of a mentally handicapped woman whose difficulty in mourning and expressing and sharing grief had a profound effect on her recovery from bereavement and led to her developing an affective psychosis.
Subject(s)
Affective Disorders, Psychotic/etiology , Bereavement , Intellectual Disability/complications , Affective Disorders, Psychotic/psychology , Female , Grief , Humans , Intellectual Disability/psychology , Middle Aged , Stress, PsychologicalABSTRACT
This article offers a means of defining and classifying various types of pica, and puts forward possible aetiological explanations for how pica may arise. When considering the question of treatment the aetiology of the disorder may be of fundamental importance.
Subject(s)
Pica/psychology , Child , Child, Preschool , Down Syndrome/psychology , Female , Habits , Humans , Infant , Mental Disorders/psychology , Pica/classification , Pica/therapy , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications/psychology , Social ConditionsABSTRACT
There has been an upsurge of interest in bereavement and bereavement counselling but our knowledge of how bereavement relates specifically to mentally handicapped people is limited. This article reviews our current understanding of the grieving process, discusses how appropriate these models are for mentally handicapped people, examines how the mentally handicapped may be not receiving the necessary support following bereavement and puts forward suggestions to improve the situation.
