title: Neuroimaging and psychopharmacology in the diagnosis and treatment of dementia.
abstract: Contributions of noninvasive brain imaging technologies to the diagnosis of organic dementias with special reference to Alzheimer's disease are reviewed. Included among the different techniques are: a. computed tomography b. magnetic resonance imaging c. positron emission tomography. Biochemical hypotheses with possible relevance to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease are presented and their therapeutic implications are discussed. Included among the different hypotheses are: a. interference with protein synthesis b. acetylcholine deficiency c. aluminum deposition. Present status of the pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's disease is outlined.
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000172:deficiency; D000535:Aluminum / Q000633:toxicity; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum; D000109:Acetylcholine