Jorge Calderón ^* Pablo Toro

• Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

The concept of mental symptom is constructed considering not only the biological signal that determines it, but the multilayered causative factors related to intersubjective experience. However, specific brain damage might produce a set of symptoms expressed in a recognizable gestalt that helps to differentiate organic of psychogenic causation. The legacy of the theory of mental symptoms developed by German Berrios and the seminal work of Hughlings Jackson and Kurt Goldstein can contribute to this difficult task.The field of psychiatry, intricately entwined with diverse disciplines from medicine to humanities, deals with the complexity of human mental health. In this multifaceted landscape, understanding mental disorders transcends simplistic categorizations, demanding an appreciation of subjective experiences and the interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.German Berrios, an epistemologist of psychiatry, and the Chair of the Cambridge School of Psychopathology challenges the notion of mental symptoms as solely biological entities, advocating for a theory of mental symptoms that include a multilayered construction of meaning(1). Central to this discourse is the notion of descriptive psychopathology, that provides a structured framework for understanding and documenting the complexities of mental disorders. However, the elusive nature of mental symptoms, shaped by personal narratives, cultural