ABSTRACT
Biological,physicalandenvironmentalfactorscancauseorinduceall kindsofmedicalconditions,includingdementia,inhumans,apesormice. Incontradistinction,onlyhumanscancauseorproducelegallybinding directivesandinstruments.Inprivatelaw,theseincludetestamentaryand intervivosdispositions,aswellasdirectionsaboutmedicaltreatment. Thus,thediscourseofcausationdiffersinmedicineandlaw.Issuesof causationinthetwodisciplinesintersect,however,whenthevalidityofa transaction,adispositionorexecutedinstrumentisquestionedonthe groundoflegalcompetence.Theissueiscomplicatedbythefactthatthe medicalnatureofdementiaisyettobefullyascertained,andthatits progressandsymptomsareoftenmisunderstood.
