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INTRODUCTION: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease, and it is characterised by tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability. The most frequent cognitive disorder is executive dysfunction, although global deficits associated to late onset of the disease have also been reported. AIMS: To describe and to compare cognitive performance in three groups with PD and one with Parkinsonism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A neurological and neuropsychological evaluation was carried out on 175 patients with idiopathic PD and Parkinsonism. The data analysis was performed by comparing the results of the tests carried out on the four groups: three with PD (age of onset: juvenile, adult and late) and one with Parkinsonism, while controlling for age, schooling and time of progression. RESULTS: In the juvenile PD group, alterations were observed in the number of intrusions in verbal memory; in the adult PD and late PD groups, there were alterations in time in continuous visual execution. These differences disappeared when the groups were compared to each other while also controlling for age. The Parkinsonism group obtained results that were lower than those of all the groups with PD for most of the cognitive and functional variables. CONCLUSIONS: Idiopathic PD would not be the cause of multiple cognitive impairment, but of a specific alteration, mainly involving the speed of processing and information recall. Age of onset would not be a decisive factor in the degree of impairment of cognitive functioning; important cognitive impairment was only present in the group with Parkinsonism.

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INTRODUCTION: Intrusive errors in verbal memory tests could be considered as a preclinical marker of familial Alzheimer disease (AD). AIMS. To analyze and to compare the number and types of intrusive errors in the CERAD verbal memory test, administered to a genealogy of affected by familial AD, with E280A presenilin-1 mutation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sample was constituted by 30 asymptomatic non-carriers (ANC), 39 non-demented carriers (NDC) and 21 demented carriers (DC). CERAD verbal memory test was administered to the sample. Comparisons, with non parametric Kruskal-Wallis' analysis, were done. RESULTS: NDC participants presented more intrusive errors than ANC group in the first and second trials and in the delay recall of the memory task; also they had more intrusive errors than the DC patients in intrusive errors of the first trial and delay recall of the same task. The ANC and DC groups had significantly more intrusions only in third trial. CONCLUSION: Intrusive errors could be considered as a cognitive preclinical marker for familial AD.

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INTRODUCTION: As part of the normal ageing process, cognitive deterioration clearly takes place in memory, attention and the information processing speed (IPS). Among the intervention strategies commonly used, combined programmes like those involving memory and psychomotor skills have the greatest beneficial effects on cognition in the short and long term. AIM: To evaluate the effects of a combined memory and psychomotor training programme entitled 'Independence in Older age' (SIMA) on the cognitive performance of a population sample of healthy elderly adults. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 95 elderly adults (49 in the intervention group and 46 in the control group) before and after a 20-session training programme. Both intergroup (intervention group versus control group) and intragroup (each group individually) cognitive performance was analysed. The two groups were paired by age, sex and schooling. RESULTS: The intergroup analysis following the training showed statistically and clinically significant differences in two IPS variables: conflict and interference in the colour-word test, which had a size effect of -1.31 and -1.38, respectively; the performance of the group of trained elderly adults was better than that of the controls. Likewise, in the intragroup analysis significant differences were found in these two variables in the group that received the intervention, with a size effect of -1.27 and -1.15. CONCLUSION: Findings show positive effects of combined SIMA memory and psychomotor training, especially in selective attention and the IPS with a healthy elderly adult population.

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INTRODUCTION: Early preclinical diagnosis is the greatest challenge faced by researchers into dementia. Cognitive, neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and genetic markers have been reported. One of the preclinical cognitive markers is anomia and it is often assessed using visual naming tests. AIMS: The aim of this study was to analyse the type of mistakes made in a visual naming test in a group of carriers and non-carriers of the E280A PS1 mutation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The sample was made up of 91 participants who were genotyped for the E280A PS1 mutation and divided into three groups: non-carriers (n = 30), asymptomatic carriers (n = 39) and sick carriers (n = 22). Selection was performed using the Minimental and the Fast and EDG scales and mistakes in the CERAD naming test were classified. The types of mistakes taken into account were: no answer, visual, semantic, phonological, the whole for the part, and not related. RESULTS: There is a significant difference in the number of semantic errors between non-carriers and asymptomatic carriers; on comparing the three groups, no statistically significant differences were found in visual mistakes. CONCLUSIONS: Visual mistakes are a general characteristic, even in healthy subjects and, therefore, these errors did not provide any information that could be used to classify patients with or without dementia. Semantic mistakes can be considered as being a preclinical sign in familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD). Both visual and auditory naming tests must be applied when evaluating patients with FAD.

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INTRODUCTION: The department of Antioquia in Columbia is the main producer of gold in Columbia. In the gold-producing regions the population is exposed to high levels of mercury used in the processes of extraction and purification. Studies done in Columbia on neurotoxicity underline the hazards of mercury from the environmental and occupational-health point of view, but the effect of long-term exposure on cognitive function has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the miners of El Bagre (Antioquia, Columbia) have neuropsychological and/or behavior disorders as a result of occupational exposure to toxic mercury vapor. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The sample was made up of 22 right-handed men, residents of El Bagre, aged between 20 and 45 years old who had been exposed to mercury vapor for at least three years. The control group consisted of 22 men who lived in the non-mining regions of the department and had not been exposed to mercury, paired with the cases considered for age and educational status. Neuropsychological assessment, a medical examination and behavioral performance tests were applied to all the men (in both groups). RESULTS: In the study group alterations were seen and classified as: intellectual damage (mainly alteration of executive function and constructional praxis); emotional changes (symptoms of depression and anxiety) and neurological changes (amnesia, insomnia and tremor of the tongue). No changes were found in the control group. CONCLUSION: Exposure to mercury causes specific neuropsychological and behavior disorders in the absence of clinically detectable physical or physiological damage.

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La presente investigación muestra diferentes aspectos relacionados con la incidencia de cáncer registrada en el Instituto de Seguros Sociales, Seccional Antioquia, -que atiende una población de trabajadores afiliados y beneficiarios- en los períodos 1987-1990 y 1992. Se presentan las tasas de incidencia promedio anuales por sitio del tumor, por edad y por sexo, se calcula la incidencia global por edad y por sexo, y se compara con la misma incidencia con la informada en el quinquenio 1968-1972; se señalan incrementos en la incidencia en mujeres de los cánceres de estómago, de laringe en mayores de 50 años, de bronquios y pulmón en mayores de 35 años, de mama y de cuello uterino en mayores de 45 años; se observa una disminución de las tasas de incidencia de cáncer de ovario en menores de 50 años. Además se comparan las tasas de incidencia de localizaciones selectas, ajustadas por edad, con las informadas por el registro poblacional de Cali, y se señalan las principales diferencias observadas

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Se realizó un estudio de tipo experimental (ensayo clínico) para lo cual se estudiaron cambios en tiempo de sangría y perfil lipídico en dos grupos de personas con alto índice aterogénico (Colesterol total/C-HDL) mayor de 6.0 en hombres y de 5.0 en mujeres. Un primer grupo llamado "CASOS" o "A", tomó 2.1 gms diarios de ácidos grasos poliinsaturados Omega-3 (AGPI-03) durante seis semanas: 1.260 mgms de EPA y 840 mgms de DHA.el segundo grupo llamado "CONTROLES" o "B" tomó placebo durante seis semanas. El grupo "A", compuesto por 65 personas (31 a 52 afios; 41 hombres y 24 mujeres). El grupo "B" integrado por 25 personas (37 a 64 afios; 22 hombres y 3 mujeres); todos de condiciones semejantes en edad, riesgo y hábitos alimenticios. A todos se les hizo colesterol total, C-HDL, índice de Castelli, C-LDL, C-VLDL, triglicéridos, tiempo de sangría y fibrinógeno. Se tomó muestra previa de sangre; un primer control a las seis semanas de estar tomando e EPAYun segundo control a las dos semanas de haberlo suprimido. En los "CASOS", el tiempo de sangría se prolongó + 17 por ciento y los triglicéridos descendieron -30 por ciento. Las modificaciones en colesterol total e índice aterogénico no fueron tan significativas pero en todo caso benéficas. Así mismo se observó en este mismo grupo "A", tendencia a disminuir las cifras de presión arterial, especialmente cuando éstas eran altas. En los controles la variación no fue tan significativa. Los resultados confirman los efectos protectores del EPA en la prevención y manejo de la enfermedad vascular aterosclerótica (EVA), reportados en la literatura médica mundial. Muy probablemente las alteraciones descritas en tiempo de sangría y perfil lipídico sean más ostensibles si se usan mayores dosis de EPA y por mayor tiempo. Tanto los "CASOS" como los "CONTROLES" eran pacientes de-la Clínica León XIII, durante el período 1989-1990...

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