Major and Mild Neurocognitive Disorders 605
Specify: 
Without behavioral disturbance:  If the cognitive disturbance is not accompanied by
any clinically significant behavioral disturbance.
With behavioral disturbance  (specify disturbance): If the cognitive disturbance is ac-
companied by a clinically significant behavioral disturbance (e.g., psychotic symptoms,
mood disturbance, agitation, apathy, or other behavioral symptoms).
Specify current severity:
Mild:  Difficulties with instrumental activities  of daily living (e.g., housework, managing
money).
Moderate: Difficulties with basic activities of daily living (e.g., feeding, dressing).
Severe:  Fully dependent.
Mild Neurocognitive Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria
A. Evidence of modest cognitive decline from a previous level of performance in one or
more cognitive domains (complex attention, executive function, learning and memory,
language, perceptual-motor, or social cognition) based on:
1. Concern of the individual, a knowledgeable informant, or the clinician that there has
been a mild decline in cognitive function; and
2. A modest impairment in cognitive per formance, preferably documented by stan-
dardized neuropsychological testing or, in its absence, another quantified clinical
assessment.
B. The cognitive deficits do not interfere with capacity for independence in everyday
activities (i.e., complex instrumental activities of daily living such as paying bills or
managing medications are preserved, but gr eater effort, compensatory strategies, or
accommodation may be required).
C. The cognitive deficits do not occur e xclusively in the context of a delirium.
D. The cognitive deficits are not better explai ned by another mental disorder (e.g., major
depressive disorder, schizophrenia).
Specify whether due to:
Alzheimer’s disease  (pp. 611–614)