DSM+II+1968

22 MENTAL DISORDERS
it may result from severe environmental limitations or atypical cultural
milieus. The degree of retardation is always marginal or mild.
.9 With other [and unspecified] condition.
II. ORGANIC BRAIN SYNDROMES
(Disorders caused by or associated with impairment of brain
tissue function)
These disorders are manifested by the following symptoms:
(a) Impairment of orientation
(b) Impairment of memory
(c) Impairment of all intellectual functions such as comprehension,
calculation, knowledge, learning, etc.
(d) Impairment of judgment
(e) Lability and shallowness of affect
The organic brain syndrome is a basic mental condition characteristically
resulting from diffuse impairment of brain tissue function from whatever
cause. Most of the basic symptoms are generally present to some
degree regardless of whether the syndrome is mild, moderate or severe.
The syndrome may be the only disturbance present. It may also be
associated with psychotic symptoms and behavioral disturbances. The
severity of the associated symptoms is affected by and related to not
only the precipitating organic disorder but also the patient's inherent
personality patterns, present emotional conflicts, his environmental situation,
and interpersonal relations.
These brain syndromes are grouped into psychotic and non-psychotic
disorders according to the severity of functional impairment. The psychotic
level of impairment is described on page 23 and the nonpsychotic
on pages 31-32.
It is important to distinguish "acute" from "chronic" brain disorders
because of marked differences in the course of illness, prognosis and
treatment. The terms indicate primarily whether the brain pathology
and its accompanying organic brain syndrome is reversible. Since the
same etiology may produce either temporary or permanent brain damage,
a brain disorder which appears reversible (acute) at the beginning
may prove later to have left permanent damage and a persistent
organic brain syndrome which will then be diagnosed "chronic". Some