The term apathy should be taken to mean emotional indifference, which means that the patient does not react to external stimuli and is not interested in what is happening around him. The patient gives the impression of having a blank face, very slow reaction, and no corresponding inner experience. The patient is indifferent to family and friends, and often stares at himself or talks to himself. Emotional apathy is often seen in the late or chronic phase of schizophrenia. In addition to affective apathy, the patient is also characterized by impoverished thinking and diminished volition. Affective apathy may also be present in patients with severe organic dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia.