Alzheimer's Disease. Epidemiology, Neuropathology, Neurochemistry, and Clinics

The book Alzheimer's Disease - Epidemiology, Neuropathology, Neurochemistry, and Clinics is derived from an International Symposium on the occasion of the 125th Anniversary of the Birth of Alois Alzheimer (14.6.1864-19.12.1915). Over the past decade, as the elderly have become the fastest-growing segment of the population in industrialized countries, Alzheimer's disease has emerged as one of the major mental health problems. The contributors to this book represent internationally recognized authorities in the field of dementia and present new information about epidemiology, neuropathology, neurochemistry, and clinics in Alzheimer's disease. This book is a rich and valuable up-to-date resource for psychiatrists, neurologists, scientists working in the fields of neuropathology, neurochemistry and molecular genetics, behavioral scientists, family physicians and all who share an interest in understanding and treating the older individual with Alzheimer's disease/dementia. §Das Buch Alzheimer's Disease enthält Beiträge international anerkannter Kliniker und Wissenschaftler, die in Kapiteln über Epidemiologie, Neuropathologie, Neurochemie und Klinik den derzeitigen Wissensstand über Alzheimer-Krankheit und damit zusammenhängende Demenzen vermitteln.Dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT), multiinfarct dementia (MID) and dementia occurring in the course of Parkinson's disease (PD +D) now make up one of the largest categories of chronic diseases in the elderly. In addition to the burden those illnesses impose on the affected individuals and their families they consume large socio-economic re sources. In the light of all the above mentioned features, it seemed to us that a Symposium on behalf of the 125th Anniversary of Birth of Aloys Alzheimer was particularly well-suited to help to advance research on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. This International Symposium combined with a Satellite Symposium about "Clinical Aspects of Alz heimer Dementias" took place in June 1989 in Wiirzburg and has been organized by the Psychiatric Departments of the Universities of Wiirzburg and Munich (H. Beckmann, K. Maurer, P. Riederer, H. Hippius and H. Lauter) and the Department of Pathochemistry and General Neurochemistry of the University of Heidelberg (S. Hoyer). In the chapters which follow, thorough reviews of recognized authorities in the field of dementia are given in the four main fields of epidemiology, neuropathology, neurochemistry and clinics. This Symposium and the edition of this book would not have been possible without the generous support of E. Merck, Darmstadt. In particular we gratefully acknowledge the efforts undertaken by Mr. Hernandez-Meyer to organizing this symposium and to publish this book. Furthermore we are grateful to the secretarial help by Mrs. Moeslein, Miss Philipp and Miss Grabner.