Cognition, Awareness, and Perception

Question 1

What is awareness?

Answer 1

related to consciousness

the understanding of yourself, situational experience, and personal state

Question 2

Awareness is essentially:

Answer 2

• Who you are
• Where you are/When
• How you are doing

Question 2

What is cognition?

Answer 2

Multi-faceted

Requiring the moving of attention and thought process fluidly

Question 2

Cognition involves:

Answer 2

Attention
Problem solving/Visuospatial
Abstraction
Labeling/Recognition
Fluency
Short-term memory
Working memory

Question 3

What is perception?

Answer 3

How we interpret our surroundings and experiences through the lens of previous experiences and abstraction

This happens through an integration of our senses

We use light, sound, temperature, light touch, sharp/dull, and so forth to process our surroundings

Question 4

Awareness can change overtime depending on the state we are in:

Answer 4

sleep

coma

Initial neurological insult (think concussion)

Anesthesia/Delirium

Question 5

Awareness theories:

Answer 5

Higher-order theories

Global workspace theories

Integrated information theory

Re-entry and predictive processing theories

Question 6

Exploring awareness Usually tested by:

Answer 6

A&Ox4

Or depending where you are A&O x 3

Question 7

Exploring Awareness
Questions could be:

Answer 7

Can you tell me your name?
Where are you right now?
What happened?
What day/month/season is it?
Who is the president?

Question 8

Exploring Cognition =

Answer 8

Cognition is thought to slightly wane overtime BUT senescence (deterioration with age, like dementia) is NOT a usual occurrence

Question 9

Exploring Cognition
Can be tested in a variety of ways:

Answer 9

Formal Outcome Measures like:
> Montreal Cognitive Assessment
> MiniMental Status Exam

Abbreviated Measures like:
> SAVEAHAART

Question 10

Exploring Perception =

Answer 10

Multiple different pathways may impair perception especially issues with the dorsal and ventral visual streams

These streams integrate information:
> Dorsal – How is it moving? (The action stream) - Objective

> Ventral – WHAT IS IT? (The knowing stream) - Subjective

Question 11

Conditions that may impact perception?

Answer 11

Stroke
Traumatic Brain Injury
Brain Infections/Tumors
Delirium
Dementia
Drugs/Alcohol

Question 12

So, we can test perception in different ways:

Answer 12

Clock Drawing Task
Facial Recognition
Reach/Grasp Objects at different distances
Stairclimbing

Consider illusions

Question 13

Usually, people start with Awareness:

Answer 13

Who, What, When, How

Question 14

Next Cognition and Perception may be tested objectively or through observation:

Answer 14

How many step commands?
Outcome Measures
Missing objects or steps

Question 15

Can we do anything if we find it?

Answer 15

YES!

The possibilities are endless and use your team members especially SLPs

Question 16

For depth perception issues:

Answer 16

Colored tape or bright colors on the edges of objects

Question 17

For self-perception:

Answer 17

Mirrors
Tasks with eyes closed