Neurocognitive Impairment as a Specifier for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Abstract

This article highlights the prominence of neurocognitive impairment across a broad range of mental disorders delineated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). It outlines the clinical implications of neurocognitive impairment with respect to differential diagnosis, treatment planning, prognosis, and outcome. Several rationales are provided for the inclusion of a specifier for neurocognitive impairment in a DSM-5 text revision. Recommendations are made for the development of such a specifier in the DSM. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2022;52(3):126–128.]