personality change

Etiology

• most people's personality change throughout life, generally for the better from experience
• more abrupt, pathological change may occur as a result of
  • brain neoplasm
  • neurodegenerative disease
    • personality changes are common at the onset of dementia
      • frontotemporal dementia (Pick's disease)
      • Alzheimer's disease
  • general medical condition (hip fracture with institutionalized rehabilitation)

Differential diagnosis

• features a personality disorder must be present since young adulthood to meet criteria

More general terms

• sign/symptom

Additional terms

• personality disorder