{"title":"[Alzheimer and Alzheimer's disease: the present enlighted by the past. An historical approach].","authors":"Christian Derouesné","doi":"10.1684/pnv.2008.0122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1684/pnv.2008.0122","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The history of Alzheimer's disease cannot be dissociated from that of the concept of dementia, as well as from the life and work of Alois Alzheimer. In his seminal paper, in 1907, Alzheimer thought to have shown a specific disease distinct from senile dementia. However, following the work of Fischer, Perusini, Kraepelin and Alzheimer himself, in 1911, the specificity of the pathological process with regard to that of senile dementia was questioned. Therefore, Alzheimer's disease was for long considered as related to senium praecox. Neuropathological then genetic data, mainly the description of monogenic forms, have demonstrated the reality of a specific pathological process involving the amyloid protein metabolism. Then, senile dementia became the most frequent form of Alzheimer's disease. However, Alzheimer's disease could hardly be considered as a natural entity and, particularly in the common forms, many points remained to be clarified such as the relationship between the amyloid process and that of aging, the significance of histopathological lesions and their relationship with the clinical symptoms. Beyond the description of the disease termed by his name, Alzheimer's work played a major role in the individualization of arteriosclerotic dementia from general palsy, and in the distinction between vascular and degenerative dementia. Moreover, he first described the histopathological lesions of Pick's disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":54537,"journal":{"name":"Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie Du Vieillissement","volume":"6 2","pages":"115-28"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27503970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Towards a deterioration of the structural and perceptive representations of objects in physiological aging?].","authors":"Nathalie Ehrlé, Amandine Goudour, Aurélie Legrand, Serge Bakchine","doi":"10.1684/pnv.2008.0133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1684/pnv.2008.0133","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Previous data collected in healthy elderly participants by our laboratory suggested impairment of visual and auditory object processing in normal aging. This impairment seemed not to be related to simple perceptual deficits. The aim of the present study was to identify the mechanism of this disorder according to serial models of object recognition, by dissociating the recognition abilities using naming tasks from a visual and from auditory stimuli, perceptual representations (visual and auditory), and semantic knowledge on the same 62 objects. Fifty three healthy participants were divided in three groups according to age (20-30 years, n = 17; 40-50 years, n = 14; 60-95 years, n = 22). They performed a battery assessing visual and auditory naming, judgement on semantic knowledge and perceptual visual properties, and matching of perceptual auditory properties of the same objects. The aged participants had lower performance on the naming tasks in both modalities, and worse perceptual properties performances again for both modalities than the other two groups. However, no significantly statistical difference was found on the semantic task. A significant correlation was found between age and the scores on each of the four tasks on which aged participants had lower scores than the youngest ones. No statistical difference was found between the two younger groups, but a trend was shown for the perceptual properties. Thus a degradation of perceptual representations of objects seems to be present in normal aging, but the nature of this degradation has to be specified.</p>","PeriodicalId":54537,"journal":{"name":"Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie Du Vieillissement","volume":"6 2","pages":"145-56"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27501603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Getting old on foreign earth: more suffering from exile].","authors":"Rajaa Stitou","doi":"10.1684/pnv.2008.0117","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1684/pnv.2008.0117","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper, which refers to psychoanalysis and anthropology, is devoted to the clinical impact of suffering to get old on foreign earth, at the junction of singularity and culture, on psychic and social sides. It presents some elements on: the discontentment or even the misery of those called foreign workers and who, however, live more and more their retirement and their old age far from the world which contains their language and their culture; the necessity of a redevelopment of settings for listening, when confronted to a suffering whose expressive forms exceed the logic underlying the classical conceptual frames, and disturbs the social and caregiver professionals. This approach leaves place, at first, to the subjective resonance of exile without which one cannot understand what old subjects have to pass through. This exile, which cannot be reduced to emigration, and which sometimes is again actualized with violence during the passage to retirement and aging, reminds to each one his incompleteness and mortality. It disturbs the self-feeling and the relation to others, which require to pass by cultural references to feel being protected and humanized. Listening, to be efficient, should not break or emphasize their difference, but has to be attentive to the peculiar link which connects him to its culture; link which allows him to give sense in every decisive moment of existence.</p>","PeriodicalId":54537,"journal":{"name":"Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie Du Vieillissement","volume":"6 1","pages":"23-31"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27342022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Aging and hemispheric cerebral lateralization].","authors":"Caroline Hommet, Christophe Destrieux, Thierry Constans, Gilles Berrut","doi":"10.1684/pnv.2008.0114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1684/pnv.2008.0114","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cerebral hemispheric lateralization is an old concept, particularly concerning language. In children, numerous arguments favour a left hemispheric predisposition for language, but do not exclude its strengthening during childhood. In the elderly, changes in the lateralization have been described. Two models were proposed to explain these changes. The right hemi-aging model is supported by behavioral studies and the age-related asymmetry reduction model is documented by brain imaging studies. We review the data supporting the two models. The significance of this age-related asymmetry reduction is questionable. The dedifferentiation view suggests that bilateral activation in older adults reflects difficulty in recruiting specialized neural mechanisms. Age-related asymmetry reduction may also be evidence of compensatory mechanisms and plasticity of the aging brain. It is useful for understanding physiopathology of cognitive decline and rehabilitation potential of the aging brain.</p>","PeriodicalId":54537,"journal":{"name":"Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie Du Vieillissement","volume":"6 1","pages":"49-56"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27342025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Frontotemporal dementia: behavioral story of a neurological disease].","authors":"Florence Lebert, Florence Pasquier","doi":"10.1684/pnv.2008.0113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1684/pnv.2008.0113","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The very slow progression of behavioral disorders, initially isolated at the onset of frontotemporal dementia, easily results in their neglect, all the more so since the patients are anosognosic. In absence of cognitive decline, these patients, whatever carrying a neurological disease, are frequently led towards psychiatrists. Many psychiatric disorders may be evoked: depression, mania, compulsive obsessive disorder, psychopathy, alcoholic addiction, bulimia, schizophrenia, or Diogene syndrome. However, the diagnosis can often be easily corrected by a detailed clinical analysis. The knowledge of the 3 behavioral symptoms included in the diagnostic criteria can help to recognize frontotemporal dementia, even when imaging and neuropsychological data show mild abnormalities. In the last few years, various neuropsychological, biological and environmental mechanisms have been proposed to explain the behavioral disorders. These disorders are very difficult to tolerate by the caregivers because the patients appear to be asocial and show no affect. A detailed information of the changes related to the disease is important for the caregivers to accept the behavioral changes and to cope with them. However, over time, the occurrence of mutism may lead caregivers to regret the period of behavioral disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":54537,"journal":{"name":"Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie Du Vieillissement","volume":"6 1","pages":"33-41"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27342023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Artistic creativity and dementia].","authors":"François Sellal, Mariano Musacchio","doi":"10.1684/pnv.2008.0112","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1684/pnv.2008.0112","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Artistic creativity can be defined as the ability to produce both innovative and esthetic works. Though most dementias result in a loss of instrumental functions and a deterioration in artistic production, for some established artists, dementia, most often Alzheimer's disease, changed their style and technique but preserved their creativity and prolific artistic drive. Moreover, in some cases, mainly frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson's disease, and very occasionally strokes, the disease may favour the emergence of de novo artistic talent. This phenomenon has been conceptualized as a paradoxical facilitation, a disinhibition of brain areas devoted to visuospatial processing, greater freedom in a patient who becomes less bound by social conventions, enhancement of motivation and pleasure, etc. These neurological cases provide an opportunity to shed some light on the roots of artistic creation.</p>","PeriodicalId":54537,"journal":{"name":"Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie Du Vieillissement","volume":"6 1","pages":"57-66"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27342509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Should we revise the Alzheimer's disease diagnostic criteria?].","authors":"Christian Derouesné","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54537,"journal":{"name":"Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie Du Vieillissement","volume":"6 1","pages":"81-2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27408086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Philippe Chassagne, Fatiha Idrissi-Kassimy, Olivier Rigal
{"title":"[Comorbidity and dementia].","authors":"Philippe Chassagne, Fatiha Idrissi-Kassimy, Olivier Rigal","doi":"10.1684/pnv.2008.0111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1684/pnv.2008.0111","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Epidemiological data suggest a strong association between aging, dementia and comorbidity such as cancer, chronic renal failure or undernourishment. These chronic conditions may lead to invasive diagnosis procedures as well as to difficult therapeutic management. When they occur in elderly patients with cognitive disorders or dementia, physicians and caregivers should apply specific care program. For example, if an adjuvant chimiotherapy is discussed for an old demented patient with cancer, informed consent and details about the treatment program should be carefully provide. At the onset of a chronic disease, the assessment of its prognosis as well as its impact on the autonomy or quality of life is particular when the patient is also demented. We discuss the specific characteristics about management of demented elderly patients who require high risk treatment because of severe and lethal diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":54537,"journal":{"name":"Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie Du Vieillissement","volume":"6 1","pages":"43-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27342024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marianne Canolle, Mouloud Messaoudi, Bronia Ayoub, Irène Descours, Patrick Bocquet, Marie-Christine Gely-Nargeot, Jacques Touchon
{"title":"[Prototypic value of semantic intrusion errors in Alzheimer's disease].","authors":"Marianne Canolle, Mouloud Messaoudi, Bronia Ayoub, Irène Descours, Patrick Bocquet, Marie-Christine Gely-Nargeot, Jacques Touchon","doi":"10.1684/pnv.2008.0115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1684/pnv.2008.0115","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Semantic intrusions are inappropriate responses frequently observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease. They belong to the same category as the words to be remembered, but their prototypic value remains largely unexplored. The prototype is the most representative word in a particular lexical category. The prototypic value is measured according to different criteria: written and oral lexical frequency, frequency of use, degree of typicality, degree of familiarity and rank of quotation. The objective of the study was to evaluate the prototypic value of intrusions produced by 17 Alzheimer's patients with mild to severe dementia, during the cued recall of the Grober & Buschke procedure (RL/RI 16 items). The prototypic value was compared to the categorial norms provided by 1) 17 control subjects and 2) the lexical database \"Lexique 3\". The results show that intrusions had a significantly higher prototypic value than targeted items. The prototypic value increased with the progression of the disease, and according to the evaluation criteria used. Thus with the criteria \"frequency of use\", \"degree of typicality\" and \"degree of familiarity,\" the prototypic value increased exponentially with the severity of dementia. In contrast, in spite of the development of the pathology, the prototypic value decreased when assessed by the criteria of \"rank of quotation\", and \"lexical frequency\" (oral and written). In conclusion, the qualitative analysis of the prototypic value of intrusion errors in Alzheimers opens up new clinical and methodological considerations.</p>","PeriodicalId":54537,"journal":{"name":"Psychologie & Neuropsychiatrie Du Vieillissement","volume":"6 1","pages":"67-79"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27342510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}