Dementias, psychological tests, and neurotransmitters.

A preliminary investigation was made of data of intelligence quotient, dementia quotients, objective profile analysis of MAWI (Hungarian standardized version of WAIS) in patients suffering from multi infarct, primary degenerative and alcoholic dementia (MID, PDD, Alc. D). Homovanillic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) were measured in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with presenile dementia and senile dementia of Alzheimer's type (PDAT and SDAT) and multi infarct dementia. They were compared to controls and to each other. Alcoholic dementia can be differentiated from other types of dementia mainly by the values of verbal and practical quotients (VQ/PQ), Hewson Index 5 and by the objective profile analysis. MID can hardly be differentiated from PDD, but the objective profile analysis can help, mainly subtests 1 and 3 of MAWI. No decrease was found in the concentrations of HVA and 5-HIAA in lumbar CSF of demented patients compared to controls, but there was an elevation in 5-HIAA concentration.