Divided attention, as measured by dichotic speech performance, in dementia of the Alzheimer type

To determine if impaired dichotic performance in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type is due to the inability to divide attention or the inability to perceive degraded auditory stimuli, we measured performance on tasks of both dichotic and degraded monotic speech materials. We also examined whether perception of degraded speech stimuli presented monaurally is related to abnormalities of temporal lobe anatomy and physiology, as we have shown for dichotic performance. Although the patients were impaired on both dichotic and monotic tests, significantly greater impairment was seen on the dichotic test. Our earlier finding of a significant relation between dichotic performance and measures of anterior temporal lobe atrophy and reduced glucose metabolism was replicated, but no significant relation was found between monotic tests and measures to temporal lobe integrity. We conclude that the inability to divide attention, rather than abnormal processing of degraded stimuli per se, is reflected in poor dichotic performance in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type, and that dichotic performance, unlike degraded monotic perception, depends directly on the integrity of temporal cortex in these patients.     

Experience in treating psoriasis patients with the preparation Ditrastic

The results of clinical trials of ditrastic, an agent manufactured by Orion, Finland, are analyzed. The drug contains 1.5 or 3% of ditranol. Of the 59 patients treated with this drug complete resolution of clinical eruptions was achieved in 43, the condition of 10 patients considerably improved, a partial effect was observed in 4, and no effect in 2 patients. Therefore ditrastic has proved to be a highly effective agent for the treatment of psoriasis, convenient for outpatient therapy.     

Effects of sensory and motor functioning on adult intellectual performance

This study examined longitudinal health and intelligence data to determine whether sensory or motor deficits account for some of the age-related intellectual changes that are commonly seen from midlife onward. Although sensory and motor functioning did not account for the age-related decrements in performance on speeded, visual perceptual tasks found for this sample in previous work, we did find that hearing deficits added error variance to performance estimates on two verbal subtests of the Wechsler scales.     

Recovery of memory after severe closed head injury: dissociations in recovery of memory parameters and predictors of outcome

This study examined selective reminding and recognition memory performance of 21 severe closed-head injured patients tested within 6 months of regaining consciousness and then again after at least 1 year. Performances on selective reminding parameters were highly correlated and patients performed significantly worse at both testings than did hospitalized controls matched for age, education, and sex. Patients improved from testing 1 to testing 2 on only four of six memory variables. Average Impairment Rating at testing 1 was a marginally better predictor of memory performance at testing 2 than was length of coma. Results are discussed in terms of (a) utility of selective reminding parameters and predictors of outcome and (b) dissociations in recovery of memory parameters.     

Efficacy and toxicity of amiodarone for the treatment of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias

Amiodarone is an effective agent for all types of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias regardless of mechanism and may, in fact, control a high percentage of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias refractory to conventional antiarrhythmic agents. However, its toxicity should temper enthusiasm for the use of the medication in non-life-threatening arrhythmias. As always, when recommending specific therapies the potential benefit should be weighed in light of the related risk. In patients with life disordering, drug-refractory atrial fibrillation, it seems reasonable to attempt control with amiodarone. Likewise in patients with ectopic atrial tachycardias refractory to conventional agents, this seems reasonable as well. Other and better therapies are available for patients with life-threatening arrhythmias associated with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. While amiodarone is moderately effective in these patients, the advent of improved surgical techniques and the relatively low risk of an operation make surgery the treatment of choice. The role of IV amiodarone, acutely, in the treatment of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias remains to be defined.     

In situ hybridization analysis for herpes simplex virus nucleic acids in Alzheimer disease

Histological sections of brain from patients showing evidence of advanced pathology of Alzheimer disease (AD) were examined for the presence of herpes simplex type-1 (HSV-1) nucleic acids by a sensitive in-situ hybridization technique. Samples from neurologically normal patients were examined in parallel. Sensitivity of the assay was verified by the detection of HSV-1 nucleic acids in neurons of trigeminal ganglia taken from cases of AD and normal controls. This indicated that the hybridization reaction was sufficiently sensitive to detect latent HSV-1 infections. Positive hybridization in the brain was only detected in a confirmed case of herpes simplex virus encephalitis. These results appear to confirm previous reports that HSV-1 infection is not directly involved in the pathology associated with AD.     

Positron emitters for the study of tumor metabolism

Positron emission tomography with metabolically active substances is a noninvasive imaging modality to determine tumor metabolism. Quantification of tumor metabolism provides valuable information, e.g., for the differential diagnosis of malignancies. Radiolabeled therapeutic substances can be traced with PET. Measurement of fluorouracil metabolite concentrations provides data about the accumulation pattern of the cytostatic agent and allows assessment of the therapeutic outcome.