Early detection of senile dementia. Apropos of the congress on "Current problems in senile dementia"

While research in neurochemistry, genetics and molecular biology progresses in understanding Alzheimer's disease, no therapeutic strategy has hitherto been demonstrated useful. Early detection and diagnosis of dementias are thus equally important. The major part of this symposium was devoted to advances of research in this field. New techniques of clinical assessment, metabolic imaging and brain mapping are promising tools for early diagnosis.