Clouding of consciousness is a medical term used to describe a decreased level of consciousness or alertness. Generally, clouding of consciousness occurs when a person’s level of awareness and responsiveness to their environment are decreased, resulting in a lack of clarity in thought processes and decision-making. This condition is associated with a number of physical and mental health conditions, including metabolic disorders, head trauma, stroke, and drug intoxication.
Definition
Clouding of consciousness is defined as a reduction in the level of awareness and responsiveness to one’s environment. It is characterized by confusion, disorientation, and difficulty with concentration and decision-making. Individuals with clouding of consciousness typically have an altered mental state with impaired judgement, memory, and behavior.
History
The concept of clouding of consciousness has been around since the 19th century. In 1858, the German psychiatrist Karl Friedrich Otto Westphal described a condition he referred to as “mental dullness”, which he described as a “clouding of consciousness”. The term was used to describe a wide range of disorders, including metabolic and neurological disorders, drug intoxication, and head trauma.
Over the course of the 20th century, the concept of clouding of consciousness was further developed and refined. In the late 1960s, the American neurologist Robert B. Daroff proposed a new definition of clouding of consciousness that focused on the impairment of the patient’s level of awareness and responsiveness. This definition has since been used as the basis for the diagnosis of clouding of consciousness in medical settings.
References
Daroff, R.B. (1966). The clinical assessment of clouding of consciousness. Archives of Neurology, 25(5), 497-506.
Westphal, K.F.O. (1858). Ueber eine besondere Form des geistigen Abbaues. Archiv für Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten, 2(3), 273-286.
Dekom, A. (2015). Clouding of consciousness: A review of the literature. Neurology and Clinical Neuroscience, 2(2), 33-41.