Cognitive Disorders

Question 1

What are the 3 classes of cognitive disorders?

Answer 1

1. Delirium
2. Dementia
3. Amnestic disorders

Question 2

Explain the three classes of cognitive disorders

Answer 2

Delirium: characterized by temporary but prominent disturbances in alertness, confusion and disorientation
Dementia: a progressive and degenerative condition in which a broad range of cognitive abilities slowly deteriorate
Amnestic disorders: characterized by prominent memory disturbances and complications in level of alertness or other cognitive functions; typically difficulties with long-term and short-term memory

Question 3

What are the symptoms/characteristics of delirium

Answer 3

1. Short-term over hours or several days
2. Common to those who undergo general surgical procedures
3. Develops quickly
4. Characterized by impaired consciousness and cognition

Question 4

What are some terms used in Delirium?

Answer 4

1. Sundowning: or when symptoms worsen during early evening hours or at night
2. Clouding of consciousness: or the inability to focus, sustain or shift attention

Question 5

What are the characteristics of Dementia?

Answer 5

1. Deterioration of memory, awareness, thought, and perception for several months
   Along with one of the following:
2. Agnosia: the failure to recognize familiar family, friends, or commonly used objects – for example eating utensils;
3. Aphasia: or the inability to understand written language while comprehending speech;
4. Apraxia: or difficulty coordinating motor behaviors despite intact motor functioning and the physical capacity to perform these behaviors.
5. Loss of executive functioning
6. Other cognitive impairments or inability to remember events

Question 6

Explain the most common type of dementia

Answer 6

Alzheimer’s the most common type of.

Question 7

What are the three warning signs that occur in the early stages of Alzheimer’s type dementia

Answer 7

• Early stage:

1. Memory loss (recent) begins to affect the individual’s performance
2. Loss of initiative
3. Mood or personality changes (e.g., avoiding family or friends)
4. Confusion about current circumstances (e.g., being at home)
5. Difficulty performing usual chores

Question 8

What are the three warning signs that occur in the middle stage of Alzheimer’s type dementia

Answer 8

• Middle Stage

1. Increasing problems recognizing family and/or friends
2. Escalating memory loss and confusion
3. Increase in making repetitive statements
4. Occasional muscle jerking or twitching
5. Difficulty in reading, writing, or understanding numbers
6. Problems thinking logically
7. Difficulty finding “the right words”
8. Needs close supervision (e.g., may wander away from home)
9. Becomes suspicious, irritable, or restless
10. Difficulty with bathing and/or self-care

Question 9

What are the three warning signs that occur in the late stages of Alzheimer’s type dementia

Answer 9

• Late Stage

1. Difficulty swallowing/feeding self and maintaining weight
2. Does not recognize their family members or lifelong friends
3. Does not distinguish familiar everyday objects (e.g., how to use a fork or spoon)
4. Becomes incontinent (unable to control bladder and/or bowels)
5. Unable to care for self
6. Difficulty communicating (e.g., cannot speak or respond to others)

Question 10

What are the other common types of dementias?

Answer 10

1. Vascular dementia 
Dementias due to diseases other than Alzheimer’s:
2. Parkinson’s disease 
3. Pick’s disease 
4. Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease 
5. Huntington’s disease

Question 11

What is vascular dementia

Answer 11

Vascular dementia: caused by at least one stroke and possibly a series of strokes where person’s condition worsens in a series of small debilitating steps

Question 12

What is Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 12

Parkinson’s disease: slow and progressive neurological condition characterized by tremors

Question 13

What is Pick’s disease?

Answer 13

Pick’s disease: impaired memory, concentration, abstract thinking, and speech along with disorientation

Question 14

What is Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease?

Answer 14

Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease: rare condition of memory loss, and disorientation

Question 15

What is Huntington’s disease?

Answer 15

Huntington’s disease: progressive degenerative disease that includes difficulties in cognition, emotion and movement

Question 16

What are the characteristics/ symptoms of amnestic disorders?

Answer 16

Amnestic disorders are;

1. Relatively uncommon disorder
2. Characterized by severe loss of memory
3. Multiple syndromes revolving around what one can and cannot remember
4. Most common is Korsakoff psychosis: where the person is unable to form new memories with subsequent “blank spots” usually filled in by confabulation (lying)

Question 17

Describe the major differences between delirium and dementia

Answer 17

Delirium:

1. Delirium is characterized as a temporary condition that follows a short and fluctuating course;
2. It includes prominent disturbances in alertness, meaning that the person is confused and disoriented;
3. The person tends to be agitated and restless often constantly moving around and without purpose;
4. The effects of delirium are time-limited;

Whereas Dementia

1. Is an advancing, progressive, and degenerative condition that is marked by a general deterioration of a broad range of cognitive abilities;
2. Dementia is likely to have a protracted course;
3. Unlike delirium, people with dementia are not confused in the early stages;
4. Over time, people with dementia experience a global deterioration of intellectual, emotional, and cognitive abilities.

Question 18

What are the major features of amnestic disorder that differentiates it from delirium and dementia?

Answer 18

1. The primary characteristic of amnestic disorder is the individual’s inability to remember or perceive things;
2. The person has difficultly with using both short-term and long-term memory;
3. The primary feature is the loss of memory rather than a pattern featuring multiple cognitive impairments.
4. Amnestic disorder is often preceded by an evolving symptom picture that includes confusion and disorientation that suggests delirium but delirium is a temporary condition;
5. Profound amnesia may result in disorientation to place and time but rarely to self as is seen in dementia