Organic brain syndrome (patient information)
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Synonyms and Keywords: OBS; Organic mental disorder (OMS); Chronic organic brain syndrome

# Overview
Organic brain syndrome (OBS) is a general term used to describe decreased mental function due to a medical disease, other than a psychiatric illness. It is often used synonymously (but incorrectly) with dementia.

# What are the symptoms of Organic brain syndrome?
- Symptoms can differ based on the disease.
- In general, organic brain syndromes cause:
- Agitation
- Confusion
- Long-term loss of brain function (dementia)
- Severe, short-term loss of brain function (delirium)

# What causes Organic brain syndrome?
Disorders associated with OBS include:
- Brain injury caused by trauma:
- Bleeding into the brain (intracerebral hemorrhage)
- Bleeding into the space around the brain (subarachnoid hemorrhage)
- Blood clot inside the skull causing pressure on brain (subdural hematoma)
- Concussion
- Breathing conditions:
- Low oxygen in the body (hypoxia)
- High carbon dioxide levels in the body (hypercapnia)
- Cardiovascular disorders:
- Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmias)
- Brain injury due to high blood pressure (hypertensive brain injury)
- Dementia due to many strokes (multi-infarct dementia)
- Heart infections (endocarditis, myocarditis)
- Stroke
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Degenerative disorders:
- Alzheimer's disease (also called senile dementia, Alzheimer's type)
- Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
- Diffuse Lewy Body disease
- Huntington's disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Normal pressure hydrocephalus
- Parkinson's disease
- Pick's disease
- Dementia due to metabolic causes
- Drug and alcohol-related conditions:
- Alcohol withdrawal state
- Intoxication from drug or alcohol use
- Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (a long-term effect of excessive alcohol consumption or malnutrition)
- Withdrawal from drugs (especially sedative-hypnotics and corticosteroids)
- Infections:
- Any sudden onset (acute) or long-term (chronic) infection
- Blood poisoning (septicemia)
- Brain infection (encephalitis)
- Meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord)
- Other medical disorders:
- Cancer
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Thyroid disease (high or low)
- Vitamin deficiency (B1, B12, or folate)

# When to seek urgent medical care?
Call your health care provider if:
- You have been diagnosed with organic brain syndrome and you are uncertain about the exact disorder.
- You have symptoms of this condition.
- You have been diagnosed with OBS and your symptoms become worse.

# Diagnosis
Tests depend on the disorder, but may include:
- Blood tests
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- Head CT scan
- Head MRI

# Treatment options
- Treatment depends on the disorder.
- Many of the disorders are treated mainly with rehabilitation and supportive care to assist the person in areas where brain function is lost.
- Medications may be needed to reduce aggressive behaviors that can occur with some of the conditions.

# Where to find medical care for Organic brain syndrome?
Directions to Hospitals Treating Organic brain syndrome

# What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Some disorders are short-term and treatable, but many are long-term or get worse over time.

# Possible complications
People with OBS often lose the ability to interact with others or function on their own.

# Diseases with similar symptoms
Other conditions that may mimic organic brain syndrome include:
- Depression
- Neurosis
- Psychosis

# Source