Recent developments in our understanding of mental disorders have resulted from advances in basic sciences. Familial occurrences of disorders such as dementia have been influential in many ways. It led to the identification of mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin (PS1, PS2) genes. Actually these findings, of previously unrecognized genes, have been very important in the understanding of proteins/and processes which are involved not only in rare cases of presenile dementia, but also in the revelations of the basic pathogenetic mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease. Similar processes were described in Parkinson's disease (Parkin, synuclein genes) and in several other neurodegenerative disorders. Another important process relates to the new technological developments in brain imaging. Techniques such as EEG, qEEG, CT, MRI, fMRI, MRS, SPECT and PET have enhanced our understanding of underlying processes of the brain, particularly when employed to patients with neurological dysfunction. Examples will be given. On the other hand, little if any substantive progress has been achieved in the understanding of common mental disorders such as depression and psychosis, although impressive therapeutic advances have been made.
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