A critique of 'organic' and its proposed alternatives.
OBJECTIVE
A critical examination of the term 'organic' in psychiatry and its proposed alternatives.


METHODS
An examination of the published literature on the concepts of 'organicity' in mental syndromes, and of the mind-brain problem.


RESULTS
The term 'organic' presents a number of problems, some of which can be described as those of historical schism, duality, method, practice, scholasticism and semantics. The currently available alternatives are not without their difficulties, and examples are provided.


CONCLUSIONS
Whether the term 'organic' is retained or replaced, we are condemned to an unsatisfactory position while we await a radically new paradigm to understand the role of neurobiological and psychosocial factors in psychiatric disorders.
Sachdev
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Neuropsychiatric Institute, Prince Henry Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011603:Psychophysiology; D009626:Terminology as Topic