[Morphology of demyelination plaques vs cognitive and emotional disorders in multiple sclerosis patients]. / Morfologia ognisk demielinizacyjnych a zaburzenia funkcji poznawczych i emocjonalnych u chorych na stwardnienie rozsiane.

The interrelationship between psychological examination and MRI findings was studied in 70 patients with MS. The cognitive and emotional functions were examined by a battery of tests: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Visual Retention Test, Hamilton Depression Scale. In MRI examination the localization, area, and the morphology of the plaques were examined. According to plaque's morphology the patients were divided into two groups: with confluent plaques and those with patchy-shaped ones. The signs of dementia were found significantly more frequently in the group with confluent plaques (p. < 0.04). In this group of patients also single-function disorders like disturbances of verbal memory, attention, visual memory, cause- and effect thinking, abstract thinking, and visual-motor coordination were significantly more frequent (p. < 0.01). In the same group the signs of fatigue syndrome were more frequently encountered (p. < 0.02). The authors conclude that the disturbances found in cognitive function may reflect the symptoms of subcortical dementia in MS patients.

A Polish pedigree with Alzheimer's disease determined by a novel mutation in exon 12 of the presenilin 1 gene: clinical and molecular characterization.

The presenilin 1 (PS-1) gene, recently identified on chromosome 14q24.3, is a major gene involved into the autosomal dominant forms of early onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD). Mutations of the PS-1 gene are responsible for the majority of familial EOAD. We found a novel mutation in a Polish family with EOAD from the Poznan region. The mutation at codon 424 in exon 12 of the PS-1 gene leads to an amino acid substitution Leu-Arg in a transmembrane domain VIII of the presenilin 1 molecule. The change is predicted to have a drastic effect on the protein function because it is associated with a very early age of onset (a range of 30-35 years) and a quick progression (about a 4-5 years duration) of the disease.

[Epidemiology of Alzheimer's disease in the selected region of Wielkopolska (town and commune Steszew)]. / Epidemiologia choroby Alzheimera w wybranym regionie Wielkopolski (miasto i gmina Steszew).

An epidemiological survey of Alzheimer's disease (senile dementia of Alzheimer type) was conducted on the territory of town and commune Steszew, lying in the Poznan district, with a population of 13,023 on the appointed day, December 31, 1988. Clinical diagnosis was established by detailed anamnesis, neurological, general and psychological examinations. Also a clinical questionnaire containing ischemic scale after Hachinski et al., (1975) was evaluated. The detected overall prevalence rate of Alzheimer's dementia on the appointed day (December 31, 1988) was 1105.7 per 100 thousand population, whereas in the group of persons over 65 years was 10059.2 per 100 thousand. The prevalence rate of severe cases of Alzheimer's disease was established in the group of population over 65 year on 2662.7 per 100 thousand. The detected overall incidence rate of Alzheimer's disease in the year 1988 was in the age class 45-65 years 201.5 per 100 thousand, and in the group over 65 years 2588.8 per 100 thousand. The obtained results of our investigations in the population of western Poland are in the lower part of dispersion of the epidemiologic data on Alzheimer's disease in the world scale. The results indicate that too rarely is diagnosed Alzheimer's disease as a cause of dementia in elderly people, and too often the cerebrovascular disease. The high prevalence rate of demented people in senility indicates on great importance of organization of Inpatients Senior Clinics in which a part of those people shall find a place.