Immunological tests and the diagnosis of dementia in elderly women.

Serum immunoglobulins and circulating antinuclear antibodies were assayed in 91 elderly female in-patients with dementia. Clinical criteria were used to distinguish a group with multi-infarct dementia from those with senile dementia of Alzheimer type and the results were compared with those of 19 age-matched controls. Dementia patients aged 85 and over had a higher prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (P less than 0.05) and those aged 90-95 had higher levels of IgA than younger age groups (P less than 0.025). IgG levels were higher than controls in the 'multi-infarct' group (P less than 0.025).