Citation

Royall DR. Cleve. Clin. J. Med. 2008; 75(Suppl 2): S97-S99.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, South Texas Veterans Health System Audie L. Murphy Division, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, San Antonio, TX, USA. Royall@uthscsa.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Cleveland Clinic Educational Foundation)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

18540156

Abstract

Right hemisphere dysfunction is associated with mortality in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurologic conditions. These associations may be mediated by insular pathology, as insular lesions result in demonstrable changes in cardiovascular and autonomic control. AD affects the insulae at a preclinical stage, and insular AD pathology may be present in up to 40% of nondemented septuagenarians and octogenarians. This pathology can affect in vivo cardiac conduction and thereby dispose to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. Thus, AD pathology should be considered as a possible explanation for autonomic morbidity and mortality in nondemented elderly persons.

Language: en