Epidemiological studies, modern clinical, neuroimaging, neuropsychological, molecular biological, and genetic studies have considerably enhanced our knowledge about ageing processes of the human brain, its sequelae, diagnostic, and therapeutic possibilities and limits. In addition to Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative dementias, the impact of cerebrovascular lesions and their risk factors in the pathogenesis of cognitive disorders of the aged are increasingly acknowledged, and the recognition of mild cognitive impairment as a frequent initial stage of developing dementia is becoming an increasingly important diagnostic and therapeutic problem. The included papers were presented at the 7th International Symposium in Graz, Sept. 2001 and give a timely overview of the current and future concepts of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment strategies of pathological brain ageing and dementias, early recognition of mild cognitive impairment and future possiblities of prevention of dementing processes.

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Vascular-ischemic dementia: an update.- Frequency of white matter lesions and silent lacunar infarcts.- CT and MRI rating of white matter changes.- Risk factors and progression of small vessel disease-related cerebral abnormalities.- Microangiopathy-related cerebral damage and angiotensinogen gene: from epidemiology to biology.- Can small-vessel desease-related cerebral abnormalities be used as a surrogate marker for vascular dementia trials?.- Reactive oxygen: its sources and significance in Alzheimer disease.- Dysregulation of neuronal differentiation and cell cycle control in Alzheimer's disease.- A broader horizon of Alzheimer pathogenesis: ALZAS an early serum biomarker?.- Is mild cognitive impairment bridging the gap between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease?.- Vienna Transdanube Aging VITA: study design, recruitment strategies and level of participation.- Conversion from preclinical to clinical stage of Alzheimer's disease as shown by decline of cognitive function in carriers of the Swedish APP-mutation.- The role of biological markers in the early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer' disease.- Measuring cognition in advanced Alzheimer's disease for clinical trials.- Current drugs and future hopes in the treatment of Alzheimer'r disease.- Development of human antibody fragments directed towards synaptic acetylcholinesterase using a semisynthetic phase display library.- Long-term stabilizing effect of cholinesterase inhibitors in the therapy of Alzheimer' disease.- Impact of muscarinic agonists for successful therapy of Alzheimer's disease.- Nicotinic receptor modulation: advantages for successful Alzheimer's disease therapy.- Glutamate receptors as a target for Alzheimer's disease are clinical results supporting thehope?.- Can estrogen play a significant role in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease?.- Neurotrophic factors and Alzheimer's disease: are we focusing on the wrong molecule?.- Nerve growth factor and cholinergic CNS neurons studied in organotypic brain slices.- Sustained improvement of cognition and global function in patients with moderately severe Alzheimer's disease: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study with the neurotrophic agent Cerebrolysin®.- Improved global function and activities of daily living in patients with AD:.a placebo-controlled clinical study with the neurotrophic agent Cerebrolysin®.- Genomics and dementia new drug targets ahead?.- Are ?-sheet breaker pertides dissolving the therapeutic problem of Alzheimer's disease?.- Glycoxidative stress creates a vicious cycle of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease a target for neuroprotective treatment strategies?.- Pharmacological targets to inhibit Alzheimer neurofibrillary degeneration.- Generation and brain delivery of anti-aggregating anti-bodies against ?-amyloid plaques using phage display technology.- Effects of Cerebrolysin™ on amyloid-? deposition in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease.- Vitamin E binding protein Afamin protects neuronal cells in vitro.- Recent developments in the pathology of Parkinson's disease.