Psychiatria pre prax 1/2014

Neurocognitive disorders in DSM-5

The introduction of the diagnosis „mild neurocognitive disorder“ is the crucial change in the diagnostic criteria for the neurocognitive disorders Chapter seventeen of DSM-5 (previously entitled „Delirium, Dementia, and Amnestic and Other Cognitive Disorders“ in DSM-IV). What is the rationale for including mild neurocognitive disorder in DSM-5? There is a clear and logical clinical justification for expanding our diagnostic categories to include mild neurocognitive disorder, or what has been described most frequently as mild cognitive impairment. Individuals in later life often seek medical, psychiatric or psychological evaluation for neurocognitive problems that do not meet criteria for a major neurocognitive disorder but are clearly disturbing them. These individuals frequently fall below the normal range of function on neuropsychological testing, but their signs and symptoms are not severe enough to be classified as major neurocognitive disorder or what we have traditionally labelled dementia.

Keywords: DSM-5, neurocognitive disorder.