title: The concept of delirium.
abstract: The concept of delirium has a long and confusing history. This article outlines the development of ideas relating to core features of the syndrome: disturbance of consciousness, disturbance of cognition, its course and its external causation. The modern concept of delirium, and the diagnostic criteria found in current classifications are based upon a long tradition of clinical observation in younger patients, and their emphasis on positive symptoms and identifiable external causes may not be applicable to our ageing population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Leicester, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester, UK. jeb11@le.ac.uk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindesay
mesh_terms: D003693:Delirium / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000266:history; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D009626:Terminology as Topic