HEIGHTENED BRAIN SYNDROMES AS PRECURSORS OF SEVERE PHYSICAL ILLNESS IN GERIATRIC PATIENTS

Six of 74 patients seen in psychiatric consultation who had brain syndromes attributed to senile, arteriosclerotic, or possible circulatory disturbance or disease within 2 weeks to 3 months developed severe physical illness. The brain syndrome and behavior disorder became less significant clinically as the physical illness developed. It is concluded that it is important to be continually aware of a geriatric patient's physical condition when he is being treated for an initially pre-dominant psychiatric condition.