A brief review of the history of delirium as a mental disorder

doi:10.1177/0957154X07076467

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A brief review of the history of delirium as a mental disorder

Dimitrios Adamis

Oxleas NHS Trust, UK, dimaadamis{at}yahoo.com

Adrian Treloar

Oxleas NHS Trust, UK

Finbarr C. Martin

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London

Alastair J.D. Macdonald

Institute of Psychiatry, London

We review the most important concepts about delirium, from ancienttimes until the twentieth century. We also focus on the questionof how these concepts have dealt with the particular problemsposed by prognosis and outcome. Althought different terms havebeen used, a robust description of delirium has existed sinceantiquity — at some times as a symptom and at others asa syndrome. It is clear that, throughout the millennia, deliriumhas been — and still is — a highly lethal syndrome;a poor mental outcome for survivors was often noted. Not untilthe twentieth century was it thought that delirium was markedby a full recovery among survivors, and this was probably dueto the desire for a clear distinction from dementia.

Key Words: delirium • historical concepts • history • outcome • prognosis

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