Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2008) 14: 71-77. doi: 10.1192/apt.bp.107.003897
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Personality disorder in older people: how common is it and what can be done?
Aparna Mordekar and
Sean A. Spence
Aparna Mordekar is a senior house officer on the Sheffield rotation, at Beighton Hospital (Seveneirs Road, Sheffield S20 1NZ, UK. Email: aparna.mordekar{at}sct.nhs.uk), and has an interest in liaison psychiatry. Sean Spence is Professor of General Adult Psychiatry at the University of Sheffield. His research is particularly concerned with the control of voluntary behaviour in health and disease.
There has been little systematic study of personality disorders in older people (65 years of age and above). However, with an ageing population worldwide we should expect to find increased numbers of people with Axis II disorders surviving into old age. We undertook a qualitative review of the recent literature concerning personality changes and disorders in older people, their prevalence and possible amelioration.
Copyright © 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.