Neurocognitive Disorders Flashcards
Q: How did DSM-5 change the diagnostic criteria related to specific causes of Neurocognitive Disorders?
A: DSM-5 includes specific etiological subtypes for Major and Mild Neurocognitive Disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, vascular disease, traumatic brain injury, HIV infection, and Parkinson’s disease, providing more detailed criteria for each subtype.
Q: What is a significant terminological change in DSM-5 for Neurocognitive Disorders?
A: DSM-5 replaced the term “Amnestic Disorder” and Dementia with “Major and Mild Neurocognitive Disorder due to another medical condition” to reflect broader cognitive impairments beyond memory.
Q: What is a new feature of Mild Neurocognitive Disorder in DSM-5 compared to DSM-IV?
A: DSM-5 introduced “Mild Neurocognitive Disorder” as a new diagnostic category to identify early stages of cognitive decline that do not yet interfere significantly with daily functioning, which was not recognized in DSM-IV.
Q: How did DSM-5 improve the description of behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with Neurocognitive Disorders?
A: DSM-5 provides a more comprehensive list of associated features, including mood disturbances, agitation, psychosis, and personality changes, to better capture the full spectrum of symptoms.
Q: What are the main categories included in Neurocognitive Disorders?
A: The main categories are delirium, mild neurocognitive disorders, and major neurocognitive disorders.
Q: What are the diagnostic criteria for delirium according to DSM-5?
A: The diagnosis of delirium requires (a) a disturbance in attention and awareness developing over a short period (hours to days), representing a change from baseline and fluctuating in severity, and (b) at least one additional cognitive disturbance (e.g., memory or language impairment).
Q: What must be ruled out for a diagnosis of delirium?
A: Symptoms must not be better explained by another pre-existing or evolving neurocognitive disorder and must not occur in the context of a severely reduced level of arousal (e.g., coma).
Q: What is required to identify the cause of delirium?
A: There must be evidence that symptoms are the direct physiological consequence of a medical condition, substance intoxication or withdrawal, and/or exposure to a toxin.
Q: What are common causes of delirium?
A: Common causes include high fever, nutritional deficiency, electrolyte disturbance, renal or hepatic failure, head injury, and certain drugs and medications (e.g., alcohol, lithium, sedatives, anticholinergic drugs).
Q: In which population is delirium most common?
A: Delirium is most common in hospitalized older adults.
Q: What are the primary treatment strategies for delirium?
A: Treatment involves addressing causal and contributing medical problems, reducing disorientation through environmental manipulation (e.g., providing sufficient lighting, reducing noise), and minimizing the number of visitors.
Q: What medication may be used to treat agitation and psychotic symptoms in delirium?
A: Haloperidol or other antipsychotic drugs may help reduce agitation and psychotic symptoms.
Q: What are the core features of Delirium according to DSM-5?
A: Disturbance in attention and awareness developing over a short period, fluctuating severity, plus at least one additional cognitive disturbance.
Q: What are common causes of Delirium?
A: High fever, nutritional deficiency, electrolyte disturbance, renal or hepatic failure, head injury, certain drugs (e.g., alcohol, sedatives), and medications (e.g., anticholinergics).
Q: How is Delirium treated?
A: Addressing underlying medical conditions, environmental manipulation (e.g., adequate lighting, reducing noise), and sometimes using antipsychotic medication like haloperidol to manage agitation and psychosis.
