ABSTRACT
Nosology refers to the classification of pathological phenomena. While descriptions of individuals exhibiting symptoms of mental disturbance can be found throughout recorded history, the terms used to describe them have varied widely. The language of psychopathology has evolved along with the theories used to explain abnormalities of thought, mood, and behavior. These have ranged from the earliest accounts of “demonic possession” in Vedic and biblical accounts (1), to the theories based upon the imbalances of the humors (2) or “wandering uterus” of Greek and Roman times (3), to the hypotheses of dysfunctional cortical networks now being explored with the growingly sophisticated tools of cognitive neuroscience (4). This introductory chapter will provide a brief overview of the current nosology of the psychotic disorders, including some background in the history of the terms we use today. It should be noted that in this short summary we have not been able to include many of the individuals who have made important contributions to the development of the conceptualization and classification of psychotic disorders, and would refer the reader to other more comprehensive works such as those by Wallace (5) or Berrios (6).
