Presbyophrenia is characterized by memory impairment, disorientation, confabulation, hypomanic features, and a preserved social facade. These occur in the absence of prior history of alcoholism or affective illness. We present three cases with presbyophrenia and suggest that the syndrome is a recognizable subtype of dementia, possibly related to disruption of aminergic pathways in frontal and subcortical structures. (J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1993;1:25–28).
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
1. Berrios GE: Presbyophrenia: The rise and fall of a concept. Psychol Med1986; 16:267–275.
2.
2. Kahlbaum KL: Die Gruppierung der psychischen Kranketen: Entwurf einer historisch-kritischen Darstellung der bischerige Einteilungen und Versuch zur Anbahnung einer empirisch-wissenschaftlichen Grindlage der Psychiatrie als klinischer Disziplin. Danzig, AW Kafemann, 1863.
3.
3. Kraepelin E: Psychiatrie ein Lehrbuch für Studierende und Arzte, vol 2, 8th ed.Leipzig, Johan Ambrosius Barth, 1910.
7. Mann DMA, Lincoln J, Yates PO, et al: Changes in monoamine containing neurons of the human CNS in senile dementia. Br J Psychiatry1980; 136:533–541.
8.
8. McEntee WJ, Mair RG: Memory impairment with Korsakoff's psychosis: A correlation with brain noradrenergic activity. Science1978; 202:905–907.
9.
9. McEntee WJ, Mair RG: Memory enhancement in Korsakoff's psychosis by clonidine: Further evidence for a noradrenergic deficit. Ann Neurol1980; 7:466–470.
10.
10. Zweig RM, Ross CA, Hedreen JC, et al: The neuropathology of aminergic nuclei in Alzheimer's disease. Ann Neurol1988; 24:233–242.
11.
11. Mann DMA, Yates PO, Hawkes J: The noradrenergic system in Alzheimer and multi-infarct dementias. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry1982; 45:113–119.
12.
12. Starkstein SE, Robinson RG: Affective disorders and cerebral vascular disease. Br J Psychiatry1989; 154:170–182.