[The confused and the demented patient as a problem in neuro-rehabilitation. Old-age rehabilitation].

Organic psychosyndromes may be classified 1) by the state of vigilance (agitated or reduced), 2) by the progress in time (episodic versus progressive), 3) by the presence or absence of brain-local or vegetative accompanying phenomena, 4) by etiology. The most frequent forms are: multi-infarct-dementia and primary degenerative dementia of Alzheimer's type. We must be aware that this didactic differential diagnosis in reality mostly shows overlapping criteria. Either more to the one side or more to the other. Etiological therapy (as well "vasoactive" as "nootropic") should in most cases be combined with therapy of underlying internistic (cardiac for example) and accompanying (infection for example) symptoms. Depression as a special frequent dimension needs special attention. Furthermore there are complex therapeutic possibilities in the social, recreative, psychologic, rehabilitative, psychotherapeutic etc. field. Relatives need to be treated concommitantly. Only thus scientific as well as human implications for rehabilitation can meet.