Mild cognitive impairment(MCI)is a new concept put forward in recent years.It is a transtrional state between normal aging and dementia.Prospective studies have shown that the orbebility of the patients with MCI converted to dementia is significantly higher than the normal aged.population.The correct diagnosis of MCI contributes to screen the high-risk population of dementia.It will provide the possibility for preventing dementia and decreasing the morbidity of dementia.

Recent studies have indicated that neural stem cells (NSC) distribute in the adult central nervous system generally. Subgranular zone and subventricular zone are the main districts of the endogenous NSC in the adult brain. These cells drowse when they occupy normal condition, and are activated when the brain is injuryed or comes to some pathological change, and then differentiate into mature nerve cell, recovery the damaged nerves function. So the ischemia can be treated by activating endogenous NSC or transplanting exogenous stem cells. The activating means include rehabilitation training, enriched environment and utilizing exogenous nerve growth factors. Stem cells transplantation include NSC transplantation and non-NSC transplantation.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the disorder of learning and memory in lead rats and the argnine vasopressin (AVP) and the somatotatin (SS) of hippocampus.Methods Sixty healthy 2-month old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group and lead group. Normal control group was given deionized water and the lead group was given 0.1% lead acetate deionized water for 3 months to make chronic lead rat. Learning and memory ability was tested by the Y-maze test. The content of AVP and SS in hippocampus were tested by the immunohistochemical method. Results The learning memory ability and the content of AVP and SS in hippocampus CA1 section of the lead group were degraded obviously than the control group(all P0.05)in hippocampus CA3 section of the lead group were degraded also.Conclusion The disorder of the learning and memory of the lead exposure rats may be due to the decrease of the content of AVP and SS in hippocampus.

Objective To investigate the relationship of lacunar infarction (LI) and white matter lesion with cognitive impairment in patients with subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) Methods Fifty-three patients were diagnosed as SIVD according to the criteria of Erkinjuntti. The symptoms and signs were recorded by an interview and examination, and neuropsychological assessment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed. A semi-automated MRI quantitative method was used to measure the volume of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and the number of LI was counted. Correlation and the partial correlation analysis were performed to examine the relationship of general cognitive function with the volume of WMH and the number of LI. Results The pseudobulbar paralysis symptom and the upper motoneuron injury sign were the most common in these patients (18.9% and 37.7%). Correlation analysis showed that there was positive correlation between the volume of WMH and age (r = 0. 518, P < 0. 05), and there was negative correlcction between mini-metal state examination (MMSE) scures and the volume of WMH (r=-0.514, P<0. 05), After controlling confounding factors, only age was positively correlated with the volume of WMH (r=0. 400, P=0. 004). There were negative correlation between the number of LI, the volume of WMH and MMSE scores(r=-0. 456,-0. 514,-0. 385,-0. 382;all P<0. 05), and the years of education was positively correlated with MMSE scores (r= 0. 518, P< 0. 001). Conclusions Age may not be the main risk factor for cognitive impairment in patients with SIVD. The volume of WMH and the number of LI are independent risk factors for cognitive impairment in patients with SIVD. Patients with severer SIVD or more LI show poorer performance on cognitive function.