Abstract
The concept of pseudodementia remains ambiguous up to this day. Since 1952, when this term was introduced in British and American psychiatry, its meaning has broadened considerably. Initially the category included hysterical symptoms with complaints concerning cognitive disorders, and the Genser syndrome, while in later year's pseudodementia was defined as a concurrence depression and dementia. The clinical concept of depressive dementia has been recently more and more often used to denote the presence of concurrent symptoms of both these syndromes indicated by objective neuropsychological tests and psychopathological scales. Neuroimaging techniques have greatly contributed to the development of a more precise definition of this condition. Findings obtained by these methods suggest that anatomical changes may have a common localization in depression and dementia. Unfortunately, the two conditions still are often clinically undistinguishable. In view of a high prevalence of such syndromes it is recommended to use in antidepressive treatment medications that do not affect cognitive functions. Antidepressive treatment may help in about 20% of cases diagnosed as dementing disorder, and alleviate the caregivers' sense of hopelessness.