The author points out that organic mental disorders have been neglected
for the past 30 years and that the classification of these disorders is
obsolete. On the basis of the new explicit criteria formulated in DSM- III,
the growing recognition that organic disorders constitute a major public
health problem, the advances made in the neurosciences, and the current
focus on chronic diseases and critical care medicine, however, he predicts
an increase in interest in organic mental disorders in the coming years. He
outlines the new classification system, suggesting that it should stimulate
research and thus lead to sorely needed therapeutic advances.Abstract Teaser