AUTOPSY FINDINGS ILL PATIENTS WITH MENTAL HANDICAP

Autopsies were carried out on 60 mentally handicapped patients and the brain was examined in detail in all cases. The clinical records were studied and correlated with the pathological findings. A variety of pa thological changes were found in the central nervous system, and there was a high incidence of microcephaly and gross abnormalities among th e patients with epilepsy and neurological dysfunction. The incidence o f Alzheimer's disease was very high among patients with Down's syndrom e, but in those patients without Down's syndrome, the incidence appear ed to be much the same as in the general population. The most common c ause of death was respiratory disease, followed by cardiovascular dise ase. There was a high incidence of volvulus among the group with epile psy. The findings are discussed, and reference made to the long-term c are of the mentally handicapped. The study demonstrates the importance of the autopsy in terms of furthering knowledge in the held of mental handicap.