["Understanding the mass destruction of nerve cells"].
OBJECTIVE
One important step towards an early diagnosis and treatment of dementia is the recognition and understanding of disease by the public.


METHODS
Since laymen's opinion is influenced by mass media, the portrayal of cognitive disorders was analysed using four volumes of a regional newspaper ("Leipziger Volkszeitung", LVZ).


RESULTS
The predominant topics were related to cause and symptoms of dementia. Memory loss was depicted as the main symptom, non-cognitive symptoms were completely neglected. Therapy options and prevention were scantily touched; if at all, the tenor was one of futility. Unfortunately, dementia was often used as a devaluating metaphor.


CONCLUSIONS
In the media, scientifically sound information on dementia is rare. Supporting journalists with expert knowledge may help dementia sufferers to profit from the new developments in the field.
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie, Universität Leipzig. ehmann@m-ww.de.
Melanie
M
Ehmann
Steffi G
SG
Riedel-Heller
Matthias C
MC
Angermeyer
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D015984:Causality; D002470:Cell Survival; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018447:Medical Futility; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D011639:Public Opinion