X-Message-Number: 6120 From: (David Stodolsky) Subject: Termininal drop in mental function Date: Thu, 25 Apr 96 13:01:34 +0100 "Those who died tended to manifest marked deterioration in performance during the 6- to 12- month period preceding death (Lieberman, M., Psychological correlates of impending death: Some preliminary observations. J. Geront., 1965, _20_, 181-190)." "There was lowered efficiency, diminished learning capacity, and reduced complexity of organization in the same degree as subject's proximity to death. Those who were closer to death also showed heightened body preoccupation, lower expectation of gratification, and foreshortened future perspective (Lieberman, M., Vulnerability to stress and the process of dying. Proc. 7th Internatl. Congress on Gerontology, 1966. V. 8, 513-519)." Cited in Weisman, A. D. & Kastenbaum, R. K. (1968). The psychological autopsy. Community Mental Health Journal Monograph No. 4. NY: NY. David S. Stodolsky PGP KeyID: B830DF31 Tel.: +45 38 33 03 30 Fax: +45 38 33 88 80 (C) Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=6120