ABSTRACT
The definition of ‘dementia’ generally accepted by clinical psychologists and psychiatrists is that outlined in DSM-III-R (APA, 1987) and DSM-IV (APA, 1994). In summary, it states that for a diagnosis of dementia, there should be demonstrable evidence of impairment in short-term and long-term memory. Impairment in short-term memory (inability to learn new information) may be indicated by an inability to remember three objects after five minutes. Long-term memory impairment (inability to remember information that was known in the past) may be indicated by an inability to remember past personal information (for example, what happened yesterday, birthplace, occupation) or facts of common knowledge (for example, past prime ministers, well-known dates). The salient points of the full-length definition (all of which do not necessarily have to be present for a diagnosis of dementia are:
impairment of short-term and long-term memory; impairment of abstract thinking; impaired judgement; disturbances of higher cortical function (for example, aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, constructional difficulty); personality change; specific organic factor; absence of a non-organic factor as a reason for the symptoms (for example, major depression).
