It is our impression that one of the fundamental reasons for the lack of early recognition of organic brain syndromes lies in the general trend of American psychiatric education during the past 3 decades. Proper emphasis on the psychological and emotional aspects of psychiatric disease has been accompanied by a certain neglect of its organic aspects.Thorough and repeated mental status examinations, continued attention to behavior and personality changes and to nurses' and relatives' reports will result in early diagnosis and possibly more competent handling of cases of organic brain disease.Abstract Teaser