LAUSR

WHAT IS ALTERED BEHAVIOUR? Altered mental state is a broad presenting complaint used to describe abnormal consciousness, cognition or behaviour.[1] In the older population, delirium, specifically a fluctuation in orientation and attention in an ill elderly person, is a main consideration. In the slightly younger adult population of less than 65 years of age, altered mentation can vary greatly in presentation, severity and underlying cause. Acute behavioural change is a subset of altered mental state and does not involve diminished consciousness or awareness.[1] There is no fixed definition. Instead, behavioural changes are usually reported deviations from the patient’s baseline and behaviour generally accepted as appropriate according to cultural norms. These can be in the form of psychomotor agitation, changes in personality, bizarre actions, heightened or decreased energy and others.[2] Most represent either an organic or psychiatric condition, but all warrant expedient and thorough medical evaluation.