Dementia due to psychoactive substances including medications

• All diagnostic requirements for Dementia are met.
• There is evidence from history, physical examination, or laboratory findings that Dementia is caused by the direct physiological consequences of use of a substance or medication that persists beyond the usual duration of substance intoxication or withdrawal.
• This judgment depends on establishing that:
• The substance or medication and the amount and duration of its use is known to be capable of producing Dementia; and
• The course of the Dementia (e.g., onset, trajectory of symptoms, response to treatment) is consistent with that caused by the substance or medication.
• Specific substances are known to be capable of producing Dementia. If the specific substance inducing the Dementia has been identified, the corresponding diagnostic category should be assigned:

> 6D84.0 Dementia Due to Use of Alcohol

> 6D84.1 Dementia Due to Use of Sedatives, Hypnotic or Anxiolytics

> 6D84.2 Dementia Due to Use of Volatile Inhalants

> 6D84.Y Dementia Due to Other Specified Psychoactive Substance

Note: A diagnosis corresponding to the pattern of use of the relevant psychoactive substance (i.e., Harmful Pattern of Psychoactive Substance Use, Substance Dependence) may also be assigned.

For presentations characterized by marked impairment in two or more cognitive domains relative to that expected given the individual’s age and general premorbid level of neurocognitive functioning that is caused by the direct physiological consequences of one or more psychoactive substances or medications other than alcohol; sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics; or volatile inhalants, the following diagnosis may be appropriate:

6D84.Y Dementia Due to Other Specified Psychoactive Substance

• All diagnostic requirements for Dementia are met.
• There is evidence from history, physical examination, or laboratory findings that the Dementia is caused by the direct physiological consequences of use of one or more psychoactive substances or medications other than alcohol; sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics; or volatile inhalants.
• This judgment depends on establishing that:
• The amount and duration of use of the relevant psychoactive substance(s) or medication(s) is known to be capable of producing Dementia; and
• The course of the Dementia (e.g., onset, trajectory of symptoms) is consistent with causation by the relevant psychoactive substance(s) or medication(s).