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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.
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KEY TOPICS IN BRAIN RESEARCH Edited by A. Carlsson, P. Riederer, H. Beckmann, T. Nagatsu, and S. Gershon K. Maurer, P. Riederer, and H. Beckmann (eds.) Alzheimer's Disease. Epidemiology, Neuropathology, Neurochemistry, and Clinics Springer-Verlag Wien GmbH Praf. Dr. Konrad Maurer Prof. Dr. Peter Riederer Prof. Dr. Helmut Beckmann Department of Psychiatry, University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Federal Republic of Germany This work is subject to copyright. AII rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically those of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, broadcasting, reproduction by photocopying machines or similar means, and storage in data banks. © 1990 by Springer-Verlag Wien Originally published by Springer-VerlagjWien in 1990 Printed on acid-tree paper Product Liability: The publisher can give no guarantee for information about drug dosage and application thereof contained in this book. In every individual case the respective user must check its accuracy by consulting other pharmaceuticalliterature. The use of registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. With 118 Figures (9 in color) ISSN 0934-1420 ISBN 978-3-211-82197-8 ISBN 978-3-7091-3396-5 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-7091-3396-5 Preface 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 resources. 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 Alzheimer 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