Alternative Names
OBS; Organic mental disorder (OMS); Chronic organic brain syndrome
Definition of Organic brain syndrome
Organic brain syndrome (OBS) is a general term used to describe decreased mental function due to a medical disease, other than a psychiatric illness. It is often used synonymously (but incorrectly) with .
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Disorders associated with OBS include:
Symptoms
Symptoms can differ based on the disease. In general, organic brain syndromes cause:
Signs and tests
Tests depend on the disorder, but may include:
Treatment
Treatment depends on the disorder. Many of the disorders are treated mainly with rehabilitation and supportive care to assist the person in areas where brain function is lost.
Expectations (prognosis)
See the specific disorder. Some disorders are short-term and treatable, but many are long-term or get worse over time.
Review
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and Department of Anatomy at UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 2/6/2010
