[The disease picture of hepatic encephalopathy].

Hepatic encephalopathy implies disturbances of consciousness, intellectual function, behavior and neuromuscular function in the course of diseases of the liver. By employing psychometric and neurophysiologic methods, functional disturbances can be demonstrated well before clinical manifestation of encephalopathy. This latent form of encephalopathy is especially disturbing for patients doing manual work. Treatment should be started during this early phase of the disease.