Sections
Delirium, Dementia, and Amnestic and Other Cognitive Disorders: Introduction | Delirium | Dementia | Amnestic and Other Cognitive Disorders | Conclusion | Key Points | Suggested Readings | References
Excerpt
Delirium, dementia, and amnestic and other cognitive
disorders are classified as cognitive disorders in DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association 2000). As a group, they represent
psychiatric disturbances formerly described as exclusively due to "organic" as
opposed to "functional" etiological factors. As
research into the etiology and treatment of other psychiatric disorders
has progressed, the artificial distinction between organic (an
anachronistic term in current clinical practice) and functional psychiatric
illness has blurred substantially. Nonetheless, these cognitive
disorders generally have clear structural and functional disturbances in
brain function as their primary causes. Psychological factors are
still very relevant in the patient's experience of symptoms
and his or her behavioral and emotional response to illness. Delirium,
dementia, and the other cognitive disorders make clear the need
for psychiatric evaluation based on the biopsychosocial model of
psychiatric illness.