On the basis of the Prognoz 7 selective plasma measurements of &agr; particles and protons the correlations of helium parameters (relative abundance n&agr;/np, velocity difference ΔV=|V&agr;|-|Vp|, and temperature ratio T&agr;/Tp) with bulk parameters in different types of solar wind streams are studied. Helium abundance increases with increasing wind velocity in quasi-stationary streams from 1.7¿2.6% in the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) up to 4.7¿6.6% in the coronal streamers (CS) and 6.6¿8.0% in the coronal holes (CH). The maximum value of n&agr;/np of 10.5¿10.1% is observed in coronal mass ejections (CME) and an intermediate value between HCS and CS 3.4¿4.2% in the shocked plasma. Helium abundance increases with increasing mass flux and density in streams from CHs and decreases streams from CSs. Velocity difference ΔV increases with increasing velocity in HCS and streams from CSs and CHs, but it is usually small or negative in CMEs and in shocked plasma. The temperature ratio T&agr;/Tp increases with increasing velocity in the HCS and in streams from CSs, and it is approximately constant in streams from CHs, CMEs, and shocked plasma. No evidence has been obtained that the processes of &agr; particle acceleration differ from each other in streams from CSs and CHs, but they differ from the one in the HCS. In contrast to processes of acceleration, the processes of &agr; particle heating in streams from CHs and CSs are suggested to differ from each other, but they may be the same in streams from CSs and HCS. The value of &agr; particle and proton heating in streams from CHs increases with increasing absolute value of velocity difference of &agr; particles and protons.¿ 1997 American Geophysical Union