Evening star., 1940-04-21
Disease That Shrinks
Brain Is Described
To Medical Society
St. EIizobeth's Hospital
Group Holds Third
Annual Meeting
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.


A strange shrinking disease
of early adult life Stimulating the ef-
fects of old age was described be-
fore the Medical Society of St.
Elizabeth's Hospital at its third an
nual meeting yesterday by DR.. Ar
mando Ferraro of the New York
Psychiatric Institute.
Asst. Surg. Gen. Lawrence Kolb
described the personality patterns
OF those who become drug addicts,
and DR.. Winfred Overholser said
that such institutions as st. Eliza
beth's must be prepared in the fu-
ture to care for many more old
persons suffering from the mental
ailments of senility.
The disease described by DR.. Fer
raro is form of Alzheimer's dis
ease, first diagnosed a generation
ago in Germany, in which the brain
grows old long before its time while
the rest of the body remains young.
Old age brings certain degenerative
changes to the brain. There is a
shrinkage of the convolutions of
the cerebral cortex, the seat of con-
scious life, and a widening of the
depressions between them. The form
of the nerves change. Calcium
plaques are laid down in the brain,
presumably from circulation disturb
ances. These changes are attended
with notable alterations in person.
ality and eventually by senile de-
mentia. The brain changes are par
allel with the hardening of the ar
teries so commonly associated with
advancing years and with degenera-
tive changes in other organs.
Brain Takes Big Jump.
In Alzheimer's disease, as de-
scribed in medical literature, the
brain takes a big jump in years be-
yond the rest of the body. Its onset
is in the pre-senile period, the fifth
and sixth decades of life. DR.. Fer
raro described as a new syndrome
cases where this onset is in the early
sos. The brain shrivels to that of
person in the 70's and 80's.
The neurotic and psychopathic
drug addict, said DR.. Kolb, has vague
strivings and cravings. He is seeking
for something beyond his normal
reach. The distorting stimulant, by
increasing perception and activity,
almost gives it to him-but it never
does, even temporarily. A stimu-
lated addict is irritated by the
stimulant, but enjoys it because of
the increased sense of physical and
mental power which it gives. The
stimulant brings him within reach
of his goal, which nevertheless
evades him. Exhausted and still
frustrated, he gladly relaxes into
forgetfulness, even by the use of
sedative drugs.
These, said DR.. Kolb, may be
merely Supplying. Many addicts
take hypnotics in efforts to cure
themselves of addiction to the pre-
scribed narcotics or alcohol. They
get from them the oblivion without
the preliminary thrills, and oblivion,
after all, is fundamentally what they
are seeking. The taking of such
drugs to excess may be considered a
mild gesture toward suicide"
Changes in Population.
Changes in the composition of
the population of this country are
now under way" said DR.. Over
holser. land we may reasonably ex-
pect through the next generation
a substantial increase in the ad-
mission of persons in the arterios-
elerotic and senile groups. The rate
of admissions in these groups now is
mounting steadily, while at the
same time the proportion of persons
over IS in the general population
is increasing rather rapidly. Where
as in 1885 per cent of the popula-
ton fell in this group, by 1880 we
may expect that between IA and
16 per cent will be found there.
This may foreshadow a. change in
the method of caring for this group
perhaps the establishment of what
might be called an infirmary rather
than the somewhat more expensive
type of hospital construction"
Records do not show, DR.. Over
holser said, that there is any alarm
Ing increase in the actual numbers
of insane in the population, al
though the numbers in insane hos
pitals constantly are rising.
This is due, he said, to too slow
a turnover in the hospital popula-
tions and failure to return patients
10 their communities rapidly enough.
A. A. Berle, Assistant Secretary
OF State, was principal speaker at
the dinner which closed the meet
Inu last Yaiuht