[Out of an average total of 1400 autopsies per year, neuropathological examinations were performed in 477 cases between 1997 and 1999 to investigate the incidence of dementias. The majority of the studied subjects were over 50 years old. Bielschowsky's and/or Gallyas's silver methods and, in some cases, protein tau (MAP) immuncytochemistry and amyloid staining were performed beside routine examination. Pathological changes were found in 212 of the 364 cases studied by the above methods but histological changes associated with dementia were only detected in 167 cases. The various forms of Alzheimer's dementia were also classified by age. The "incipient" form of Alzheimer's disease was verified in 23 cases. Old infarcts of various extensions were found in 42 percent of Alzheimer's dementias. Very mild or age-related degenerative changes were observed in 82 cases among subjects over 50 years old. Of these, eight patients died in their 90s. In some cases (n=38) the number of neuritic plaques dominated over the number of neurofibrillary tangles but a reverse finding also occurred (n=13). Neuronal degeneration was variable and was not always proportional to the number of neurofibrillary tangles. "Simple type of senile atrophy" was defined by the presence of minor or age-related Alzheimer changes and was considered a separate entity. The "incipient" form of Alzheimer's dementia was diagnosed in relatively young individuals where mild Alzheimer changes were found at the neuropathological examination. "Preclinical" Alzheimer's dementia could only be suspected by clinical data and could very rarely be supported by the neuropathological finding of "incipient" form. The ratio of pure Alzheimer’s to vascular dementias cases proved to be 54:41 in this study. The results suggest that dementias are considerably underdiagnosed both in the clinical and pathological practice and that the recently defined "preclinical" and "incipient" forms are very hard to recognize both clinically and pathologically. The neuropathological study of the degenerative, mainly Alzheimer's type, findings in the randomly selected autopsies revealed great variations which raises many questions concerning the normal and pathologic aging of the brain as well as the "incipient" and senile forms of Alzheimer's dementia.]

[Objective - To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam in children with drug resistant epilepsy from a retrospective study. Methods - We report the result of a study of 85 pediatric patients (mean 10.5 years, range: 1-24) with refractory generalized and focal epilepsy, who received levetiracetam as add-on treatment. The average duration of epilepsy was eight years, and the patient were treated with mean of 6.0 antiepileptic drugs befor levetiracetam was introduced. Results - Ten patients (12%) became seizuresfree, three (3%) responded with seizure reduction of more than 90%, 32 (38%) responded with seizure reduction of more than 50% following introduction of levetiracetam. No response to levetiracetam was reported in 34% (n: 29). Positive psychotopic effect was observed in 26 patient (30%). Mild to moderate side effects were reported in 11 patients (13%), consisting most frequently general behavioral changes, agression, sleep disturbances, but they ceased after decreasing the dose of levetiracetam. Mental retardation was associated with poor response and associated with more side effects. Conclusion - Levetiracetam is well tolerated new antiepileptic drug that may effectively improve seizures controll as an addon drug in resistant epilepsy in childhood with good tolerability.]