Apathy

Apathy (ancient Greek ἀπάθεια apátheia "insensitivity") is the medical term for apathy, lack of excitability and insensitivity to external stimuli.

Apathy occurs mainly in advanced dementia. The frequency varies among the different types of dementia: it is 63% in Alzheimer's disease, 72% in vascular dementia, 57% in Lewy body dementia and 92% in frontotemporal dementia.

Apathy can also occur in some mental illnesses, such as autism, anorexia nervosa, depression and schizophrenia. It also occurs as a symptom of pronounced hypothyroidism, hospitalism, frontal brain syndrome and various infectious diseases, for example, it occurs before the frenzied phase of rabies.

Apathy is often associated with other symptoms, such as loss of appetite, sadness, dejection, insomnia (or sleepiness), and changes in judgment.