Related descriptors
Relations among DeCS concepts can be of several types. One of them is “See related” terms, a type of relationship that is established by MeSH and incorporated by DeCS. This type of relationship equals more than 13,000 linear interactions between DeCS concepts.
Related descriptors allow you to find other indexing terms that are within the scope of the searched descriptor, as a suggestion for the user to evaluate the best descriptor to be used in each case. This allows navigation other than throughout the descriptor hierarchy. For example, in the Teratogens‘ descriptor record (from the Chemical Compounds and Drugs category) there is a suggestion to consult two related descriptors: Teratogenesis (which is a Pathological Process) and Drug-Induced Abnormalities (from Diseases category).
This way, DeCS and MeSH users can expand conceptual browsing.
Category: DeCS tips
