Cognitive impairment and dementia Flashcards
t/f: 1 in 7 older americans has dementia
True
What are the 3 parts of cognitive function and how are they related to dementia?
Cognition: how things work Memory: data storehouse Language: story of memory Disruption of any component can result in dementia Alzheimer's loses all 3
What does cognition include?
Knowledge acquisition, comprehension, thinking, knowing, remembering, judgement, problem solving, imagination, planning
What parts of cognition are included in the temporo-parietal areas?
Knowledge acquisition, comprehension, thinking, knowing, remembering
What parts of cognition are included in the frontal area?
Judgement, problem solving, imagination, planning
What are parts of our memory?
Sensory memory: less than 1 second
Working memory: less than 1 minute
Long term memory: lifetime
What are parts of long term memory?
Long term–> explicit memory (conscious)–> declarative memory (facts, events)–> episodic memory (autobiography) and semantic memory (facts, concepts)
Long term–> implicit memory (unconscious)–> procedural memory (skills)
What are the roles of the different lobes of the brain in cognition?
Occipital lobe: what is it?
Temporal lobes: how does it relate to me?
Limbic system: how do I feel about it?
Frontal lobe: what do I think about it?
When does the brain begin to age?
Brain aging begins between ages 20 and 30: decreased capillary and arteriole density, decreased blood flow, decreased brain weight, increased ventricular volume, increased subarachnoid space
What are changes in the brain as we age?
Increased risk for brain injury
Increased reliance on procedural memory
Decisions replaced by routine and ritual
What are characteristics of delirium?
Disturbance of consciousness Change in cognition Acute onset (hours to days) Fluctuating symptoms Evidence of medical etiology
T/F: delirium is a strong predictor of poor functional and cognitive status in the year following hospital admission
True
What is CAM?
Confusion Assessment Method 1) acute onset and fluctuating course 2) altered level of consciousness 3) inattention 4) disorganized thinking Diagnosis of delirium requires presence of both 1 and 2, and either 3 or 4
What is MCI?
Mild cognitive impairment: impairment in thinking and memory that do not interfere with everyday activities
Amnestic type- memory only
Multi-domain- judgement and/or language
About 10-15% convert to dementia each year
About 80% convert within 6 years
What are symptoms of MCI?
Forgets names, loses objects, forgets items on a list, forgets multiple tasks, forgets phone numbers, unable to recall info after distraction, score more than 1 SD below mean on memory test
How is MCI detected?
Reaction time, dual task performance, word fluency, category fluency, delayed verbal recall, narrative recall, name face pair recall, complex figure copying
What is dementia?
Syndrome of impairment in memory and at least one other cognitive ability: language (coherent speech or ability to understand spoken or written language), visuospatial function (recognition of common objects), executive function (motor function, abstract and complex thought, and/or judgment)
What are early signs of dementia?
Forgetfulness, confusion, weight loss, sleep disturbance, gait abnormalities, ADL deficits