The rapidly increasing world population of aged people has led to a growing need to focus attention on the problems of mental disorder in late life. The aim of the Journal is to communicate the results of original research in the causes treatment and care of all forms of mental disorder which affect the elderly. The Journal is of interest to psychiatrists psychologists social scientists nurses and others engaged in therapeutic professions together with general neurobiological researchers. The Journal provides an international perspective on the important issue of geriatric psychiatry and contributions are published from countries throughout the world. Topics covered include epidemiology of mental disorders in old age clinical aetiological research post-mortem pathological and neurochemical studies treatment trials and evaluation of geriatric psychiatry services.