Possible Improvements to the Diagnostic Criteria for Dementia in DSM-III

Abstract

The DSM-III diagnostic criteria for dementia can be criticised because they treat dementia as a categorical rather than dimensional disorder, and thus ignore the problem of placing appropriate cutoffs. They are also too broad and may result in diagnostic unreliability because of varying interpretations of the criteria by different diagnosticians. Strategies for overcoming these problems are discussed and some improved criteria proposed.