[Stressors as the cause of gerontopsychiatric diseases]

It is permitted to apply concepts of stress theory to clinical geropsychiatry. Biographical factors, health, illness, organic and psychosocial factors of immediate and indirect kind are very important on development and course of geropsychiatric disease. Special significance has the influence of aging. Quantity and quality of stressors must be judged as non-specificial causal factors. Treatment depends on ascertained factors. The interpretation is explained on examples of depression, dementia, and institutionalism syndrome.