The author gives a historical review of the concept of the abiotrophic diseases since Gower's definition. He stresses the importance of the many different supraspinal systematized atrophies beside the well-known spin al and cerebellar degenerations. The histological examination reveals often abiotrophies which had remained clinically unsuspected during the cause of the disease. The author gives then some indications concerning the possible relationships between presenile dementias such as Alzheimer's disease or Pick's disease and the abiotrophic processes. He concludes by stressing the need for more detailed ultrastructural, biochemical and enzymatical studies in this field.