Approach to Disturbed Behaviour

Question 1

Apart from time course, what are some ways to differentiate delirium from dementia?

Answer 1

Conscious state and attention are usually normal in dementia whereas they are usually impaired in delirium

Question 2

What are some precipitationg factors of delirium?

Answer 2

Medication

Medical problems

Surgery

Acute brain pathology

Altered environment

Substance withdrawal

Question 3

What is CAM? What is it used for?

Answer 3

Confusion Assessment Method

Assessment of delirium

Question 4

What is the main use of the MMSE?

Answer 4

Screening tool for dementia

Question 5

What is BPSD?

Answer 5

Behavioural and psychiological symptoms of dementia

Question 6

What are the main causes of dementia?

Answer 6

Parkinson’s

Vascular

Dementia with Lewy bodies

Fronto-temporal dementia

Question 7

What types of delirium are there?

Answer 7

Hyperactive and hypoactive

Mixed

Question 8

What are some categories of symptoms in schizophrenia and some examples?

Answer 8

Positive symptoms: Hallucinations

Negative symptoms: Anhedonia

Cognitive symptoms: executive dysfunction

Functional symptoms: Work/study

Impaired insight

Question 9

Pathiophysiologically what is delirium?

Answer 9

Total brain dysfunction

Question 10

What are some predisposing factors for the development of delirium?

Answer 10

Increasing age

Preexisting cognitive impairment

Polypharmacy

Sensory impairment or stimulation

Multiple existing co-morbidies

Question 11

How does delirium symptoms change throughout the day?

Answer 11

Invariably worse at night