Organic Mental Disorders, Conditions That Affect Your Mental Function

Organic mental disorders are generally experienced by the elderly, but can also occur in younger people. This disorder can lead to weakening or deteriorating mental function with symptoms such as memory disorders, difficulty in doing daily activities, and understanding language. Organic mental disorder (organic mental disorder) is a term previously used for an actual condition called neurocognitive disorders. This condition is a combination of several physical disorders that can affect your mental function.

Diseases Included in Organic Mental Disorders

In addition to Alzheimer's disease which is more popularly known to the public, there are still other medical conditions that are classified as neurocognitive diseases, including:

• Parkinson's disease
• Huntington's Disease
• Lewy body disease
• Brain injury (Traumatic Brain Injury / TBI)
• Frontotemporal degeneration
• Prion Disease
• Dementia due to HIV infection

These conditions are regrouped into mild and severe neurocognitive disease, based on the severity of symptoms that appear. There are mild organic mental disorders, while severe organic mental disorders are generally regarded as dementia. Previously, all neurocognitive diseases were indeed called dementia, even though the use of the term was incorrect.

Conditions Associated with Organic Mental Disorders

Organic mental disorders can be interpreted as a decrease in mental function due to medical illness other than psychiatric illness. The following are conditions that can cause organic mental disorders:

• Brain injury caused by serious injury (trauma)

This condition involves bleeding in the brain or in the space around the brain, blood clots in the skull that press on the brain, and concussions.

• Respiratory disorders

Conditions such as low oxygen levels in the body (hypoxia) and high levels of carbon dioxide in the body (hypercapnia).

• Heart and blood vessel disorders

Various conditions such as stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), endocarditis, and myocarditis.

• Dementia caused by metabolic disorders

Such as kidney disease, thyroid, and vitamin B, B12, or folate deficiency.

• Conditions caused by drugs and alcohol

For example poisoning due to drug and alcohol abuse, and a condition called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (long-term effects of consuming alcoholic beverages or excessive malnutrition).

• Various types of infections

Examples include septicemia, brain infections, meningitis, and end-stage syphilis.

• Complications of cancer

So, organic mental disorders indirectly occur due to brain damage, and affect areas related to learning ability (learning) and memory, as well as planning and decision making. This disorder also affects the ability to understand and use language properly, coordinate body movements, as well as the ability to act according to social norms, such as showing empathy and doing routine tasks. The diagnosis of organic mental disorders can be done by a neurologist or a psychiatrist. Management of organic mental disorders needs to be preceded by finding the underlying cause and treating the disorder based on the cause. People with organic mental disorders need strict care and evaluation at the hospital. Forms of treatment that can be given to patients with neurocognitive diseases, including the provision of drugs to relieve the symptoms that arise. Psychotherapy and psychosocial support can also be recommended to support the needs, well-being and quality of life of patients and those around them. Organic mental disorders have different prospects of recovery depending on the type of neurocognitive disorders suffered, as well as the severity or severity of the disease. You can consult your doctor to find out more clearly the conditions experienced, the type of treatment, as well as various risk factors and complications of this disease