Psychiatric disorders of the frontal lobe

Dysfunction of the frontal robes usually results in behavioural abnormaliti es. In recent years, the crucial importance of the frontal lobe for working memory functions has become apparent. Vascular lesions extending into the frontal white matter have been found to be associated with depression, part icularly in the elderly. The understanding of frontotemporal dementia has m ost rapidly developed. There is a strong input from genetic research, aimin g at basic mechanisms of degenerative brain disease. Curr Opin Psychiatry 1 2:321-324. (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.