Mental Marasmus

Marasmus, Mental

 

caused by atrophy of the cerebral cortex and results in almost complete cessation of human mental activity, accompanied by general emaciation. It occurs in senile dementia, the terminal stage of (general) progressive paralysis, and some other brain diseases. The concept of physical marasmus as a wasting away of the body (similar to cachexia) is rarely used in modern medicine.