Now is the time to retire the term "organic mental disorders"

• DOI: 10.1176/ajp.149.2.240
• Publication Date: 2014-12-17T19:41:35Z
• Authors: Robert L. Spitzer; Michael B. First; J B Williams; K. S. Kendler; H A Pincus; Graeme Tucker
• Keywords: CLARITY; Organic mental disorders; Dualism

The organic/nonorganic distinction in contemporary classifications of mental disorders such as DSM-III and DSM-III-R has important prognostic treatment implications, because it directs the clinician to pay special attention possibility an underlying "physical" disorder cause disturbance. However, term "organic" raises serious intractable problems, since connotative meaning always returns its historical roots, which imply outmoded functional/structural, psychological/biological, mind/body dualism. authors present a proposal being considered for DSM-IV that would eliminate reorganize classification organic disorders. Disorders previously referred "organic disorders" be renamed either "secondary (if they are due disorders) or "substance-induced disorders." entire reorganized distribute secondary substance-induced into major groups with share phenomenology. traditional disorders--delirium, dementia, amnestic disorder--would grouped together under rubric "cognitive impairment While acknowledging problems suggested new terminology reorganization classification, argue potential benefits clarity facilitating differential diagnosis justify putting rest familiar but now anachronistic