Transcript Document
Cognitive Disorders
Madiha Anas
Institute of Psychology
Beaconhouse National University
Cognitive Disorders:
Areas affected
Thoughts
The
capacity of memory
Perception
The ability to be attentive
Nature of Cognitive Disorders:
Perspectives on Cognitive Disorders
Affect cognitive processes such as learning, memory, and
consciousness
Most develop later in life
Three Classes of Cognitive Disorders
Delirium – often temporary confusion and disorientation
Dementia – degenerative condition marked by broad cognitive
deterioration
Amnestic disorders – memory dysfunctions caused by disease,
drugs, or toxins
Delirium
clouding of consciousness
unawareness of what’s happening around
unable to focus or pay attention
memory is foggy
Delirium: An Overview
Nature of Delirium
Central features –
impaired consciousness and cognition
Impairments develop rapidly over several
hours or
days
Examples include confusion, disorientation, attention,
memory, and language deficits
Facts and Statistics
Affects
10% to 30% of persons in acute care facilities
Most prevalent in older adults, AIDS patients, and
medical patients
Full recovery often occurs within several weeks
Symptoms of delirium
Perceptual Disturbances
Speech Problems
Motor Problems
Hyperactive
Hypoactive
Medical Conditions Related to
Delirium
Medical Conditions
Drug
intoxication or withdrawal from drugs
Infections, head injury, and several different forms of
brain trauma
Sleep deprivation, immobility, and excessive stress
DSM-IV and DSM-IV Subtypes of Delirium
Delirium
due to a general medical condition
Substance-induced delirium
Delirium due to multiple etiologies
Delirium not otherwise specified
Dementia
“ progressive deficits in a person’s memory and learning
of new information, ability to communicate, judgment,
and motor co-ordination. It impacts on a person’s ability
to work and interact normally with other people”.
Dementia
Nature of Dementia
Gradual deterioration of brain functioning
Affects judgment, memory, language, and other cognitive
processes
Dementia has many causes and may be reversible or
irreversible
Progression of Dementia: Initial Stages
Memory impairment, visuospatial skills deficits
Agnosia – inability to recognize and name objects (most
common symptom)
Facial agnosia – inability to recognize familiar faces
Other symptoms – delusions, depression, agitation, aggression,
and apathy
Dementia: An Overview
Progression of Dementia: Later Stages
Cognitive
functioning continues to deteriorate
Person requires almost total support to carry
out day-to-day activities
Death results from inactivity combined with
onset of other illnesses
Dementia: Facts and Statistics
Onset and Prevalence
most common in the elderly
Affects 1% of those between 65-74 years of age
Affects over 10% of persons 85 years and older
47% of adults over the age of 85 have dementia of the
Alzheimer’s type
Gender and Sociocultural Factors
Dementia occurs equally in men and women
Dementia occurs equally across educational level and social
class
DSM-IV and DSM-IV-TR
Classes of Dementia
Dementia of the Alzheimer’s type
Vascular Dementia
Dementia due to other general medical
conditions
Substance-induced persisting Dementia
Dementia due to multiple etiologies
Dementia not otherwise specified
Dementia of the Alzheimer’s
Type: An Overview
DSM-IV-TR Criteria and Clinical
Features
Multiple
cognitive deficits that develop
gradually and steadily
Predominant impairment in memory,
orientation, judgment, and reasoning
Can include agitation, confusion, depression,
anxiety, or combativeness
Symptoms are usually more pronounced at
the end of the day
Dementia of the Alzheimer’s
Type
Range of Cognitive Deficits
– difficulty with language
Apraxia – impaired motor functioning
Agnosia – failure to recognize objects
Difficulties with planning, organizing, sequencing, or
abstracting information
Impairments have a marked negative impact on social
and occupational functioning
Aphasia
Alzheimer’s Disease:
Nature and Progression of the Disease
Deterioration
is slow during the early
and later stages, but rapid during middle
stages
Average survival time is about 8 years
Onset usually occurs in the 60s or 70s,
but may occur earlier
Vascular Dementia
Nature of Vascular Dementia
Progressive brain disorder caused by blockage or damage to
blood vessels
Second leading cause of dementia next to Alzheimer’s
Onset is often sudden (e.g., stroke)
Patterns of impairment are variable, and most require formal
care in later stages
Other Causes of Dementia:
Head Trauma and Parkinson’s Disease
Head Trauma
Accidents are leading causes of such cognitive
impairments
Memory loss is the most common symptom
Parkinson’s Disease
Degenerative brain disorder
Affects about 1 out of 1,000 people worldwide
Motor problems are characteristic of this disorder
Other Dementias:
Substance-Induced Dementia
Substance-Induced Persisting Dementia
Results
from drug use in combination with poor diet
Examples include alcohol, inhalants, sedative,
hypnotic drugs
Resulting brain damage may be permanent
Dementia is similar to that of Alzheimer’s
Deficits may include aphasia, apraxia or agnosia
Amnestic Disorders
People with Amnestic
disorders are unable to recall
previously learned information
or to register new memories.
Amnestic Disorder
Nature of Amnestic Disorder
loss
of memory
Inability to transfer information into long-term memory
Often results from medical conditions, head trauma,
or long-term drug use
DSM-IV and DSM-IV-TR Criteria for Amnestic
Disorder
Cover
the inability to learn new information
Inability to recall previously learned information
Memory disturbance causes significant impairment in
functioning
Types of Amnestic Disorders
Retrograde Amnesia:
Characterized
by inability to recall past
information/memory.
Anterograde Amnesia:
Characterized
by inability to learn and recall
new information.
In severe forms of anterograde amnesia,
people newly met are, immediately forgotten.
Types according to DSM-IV TR:
The DSM-IV TR includes two major categories of
amnestic disorders:
Amnesia due to general medical condition:
It may be chronic (lasting a month or more) or transient.
That can result from a wide variety of medical problems, such as
head trauma or lack of oxygen
Substance induced persisting amnestic disorder:
This condition may be caused by an array of substances
including medications, illicit drugs or environmental toxins such
as lead, mercury, and industrial solvents.
Causes of Cognitive Disorders
1.Biological Perspective:
Cognitive disorders caused by the less blood flow to the brain areas or
when there is some clot in the brain can cause cognitive impairment.
A variety of other factors like substance intoxication or withdrawal, high
fever, vitamin deficiency can also cause cognitive impairment.
2.Genetic Perspective:
Cognitive disorders can be genetic if a person has a family history of
dementia and other cognitive disorders.
3.Other Factors:
Other factors such as head injury, trauma, surgery, substance
intoxication can also lead to cognitive impairment.