ABSTRACT
There are several reasons for introducing the psychodynamic aspect when trying to diagnose, understand and treat patients suffering from dementia. First, for early diagnosis, personality-related symptoms may be the most sensitive indicator of a dementing disorder. This is especially true since gerontological research indicates that basic personality traits are stable throughout the life-span. Moreover, some of the dementias, such as those affecting the frontal part of the brain, almost exclusively affect the personality in the early phases.
