Beyond Nonverbal Learning Disability: The Case for and Against Developmental Visual-Spatial Disorder as a Distinct Diagnosis.

Fisher and colleagues reported results from the iterative process that led to DSM-like diagnostic criteria for nonverbal learning disability (NVLD) as a distinct neurodevelopmental disorder, defined as developmental visual-spatial disorder (DVSD).1 The establishment of clear diagnostic criteria may facilitate the identification of individuals with clinically significant visual-spatial deficits and associated functional impairments, thereby advancing research in this area. As acknowledged by the authors, the literature on NVLD is relatively scarce compared to that on other neurodevelopmental disorders included in the DSM. Moreover, the quality of the existing evidence is a matter of debate, as highlighted in state-of-the-art reviews.