Memory Problems Flashcards
What are the 3 broad categories of human memory?
Sensory memory
Short term (working) memory
Long term memory
Subtypes of long term memory
Explicit (conscious)
Implicit (unconscious)
Subtype of explicit memory
Declarative memory
Subtype of implicit memory
Procedural memory
Subtypes of declarative memory
Episodic
Semantic
What are the 4 stages to memory processing?
Attention
Encoding
Storage
Retrieval
What is anterograde amnesia?
Difficult in acquiring new material and remembering events since the onset of illness or injury
What is retrograde amnesia?
Difficult in remembering information prior to the onset of illness or injury
What are common reports of memory problems?
Forgetting a message Losing track of a conversation Forgetting to do things Inability to navigate in familiar places Increased misplacing of things Struggling to remember names
What is dementia?
A syndrome due to disease od the brain, usually of a chronic or progressive nature, in which there is disturbance of multiple higher cortical functions including memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language and judgement
Consciousness is NOT clouded
Common accompanied by deterioration in emotional control, social behaviour or motivation
Diagnostic criteria for dementia?
2 or more of:
Forgetfulness, memory loss, confusion, poor reasoning and logic, personality changes, poor judgement, ability to focus, visual perception
Primary dementia diseases?
Alzheimer's CJD FTD Huntington's Lewy Body Dementia PD Vascular Wernicke-Korsakoff
Secondary causes of dementia?
Depression Diabetes Excessive alcohol use Head injury Medications Mild cognitive impairment Thyroid Tumour B12 and folate deficiency
Onset, duration and course of dementia?
Insidious onset
Months to years duration
Stable, progressive step wise couse
Onset, duration and course of delirium
Acute onset
Hours/days/weeks/ months duration
Fluctuating course
Onset, duration and course of depression
Gradual onset
Weeks to moths duration
Diurnal course
Why should you assess cognition?
Evaluate functioning Identify underlying pathological process Aid diagnosis Inform treatment Assess capacity
Why is a corroborative history so important in a cognitive assessment?
Functional abilities at home
Is help required
Any significant cognitive, physical or emotional changes
Rate and pattern of cognitive decline
Patients with dementia tend to lose insight
What should be assessed in patients with suspected dementia?
Orientation Attention and concentration Executive functioning Visuospatial functioning Language Memory Mood
Screening tool for delirium?
4AT; Alertness AMT-4 Attention Acute or fluctuating course
Cut off for MMSE?
> 27 for good vs <24 for pathological
What are bedside cognitive tests used?
GPCOG
6CIT (orientation, memory and corroborative history)
Clock drawing test
What does the clock drawing test assess?
Executive function (planning)
Visuospatial ability
Abstraction
What is the MoCA?
Rapid screening instrument for mild cognitive dysfunction
What is the purpose of the Addenbrookes?
Bridge the gap between MMSE and neuropsychological assessment
What does the addenbrooke’s assess?
Orientation and attention Memory Fluency Language Visulospatial functioning
What are the cutoffs for the addenbrookes?
88/100 normal
82/100 pathological
Aim for 84 and above
What is the purpose of a neuropsychological assessment?
Important in determining whether an individual has experience abnormal intellectual or behavioural decline and whether that decline is related to underlying disease of the CNS
