224 PSYCHOLOGY
must be in its place. Things must be done on schedule. Tasks must be completed
without flaw or error. Such individuals find it difficult to just let up a little and
enjoy life. The obsessive-compulsive personality disorder should not be confused
with a disorder presented earlier, the obsessive-compulsive disorder. The person-
ality disorder, as already indicated, is characterized by a need for perfection. On
the other hand, the anxiety disorder is characterized by a need to reduce the anx-
iety generated by obsessive ideas.(a) The personality disorder is characterized by a lack of guilt feelings.(b) The personality disorder is characterized by perfectionism.
Answers: (a) antisocial; (b) obsessive-compulsive.The Organic Mental Disorders: When the Nervous System
Itself Has Pathology
Organic mental disorders are characterized by constellations of signs and
symptoms that suggest there is actual damage to the brain and nervous system.
This damage may be caused by a genetic tendency, a toxic agent, a vitamin defi-
ciency, or an infection. In brief, the nervous system itself has pathology (i.e., is
“sick”).
Three organic mental disorders will be identified: (1) alcohol amnestic disor-
der, (2) dementia of the Alzheimer’s type, and (3) general paresis. In all three dis-
orders a certain degree of dementia is present. The term dementiarefers to loss of
intellectual capacity.
Alcohol amnestic disorderis characterized primarily by memory difficul-
ties. It was noted earlier that the word amnesiameans “without memory.” Unlike
psychogenic amnesia, the memory problems associated with alcohol amnestic dis-
order are general, not specific to the individual’s sense of identity. The disorder
was first studied by the Russian neurologist Sergei Korsakoff over one hundred
years ago. An older name for the condition is Korsakoff ’s psychosis.Alcohol
abuse tends to induce a deficiency ofthiamine,a B-complex vitamin. Some of
the impairment associated with alcohol amnestic disorder is reversible with vita-
min therapy. On the other hand, some of the impairment is due to the loss of neu-
rons linked to the toxic effects of alcohol. Impairment associated with destroyed
neurons is not reversible.(a) mental disorders are characterized by constellations of signs and symp-
toms that suggest there is actual damage to the brain and nervous system.
(b) What is an older name for alcohol amnestic disorder?
Answers: (a) Organic; (b) Korsakoff’s psychosis.