Pathological conditions linked to memory problems

Question 1

What are the 3 pathological conditions that are linked to memory problems?

Answer 1

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Anoxic-Hypoxic syndrome
• Werncike-Korsakoff syndrome

Question 2

What is Traumatic brain injury?

Answer 2

a brain injury which results in physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural disability
there are 2 types

Question 3

What are the 2 types of TBI?

Answer 3

• penetrating TBI (also known as open TBI)
• Closed TBI

Question 4

What is penetrating / open TBI?

Answer 4

occurs when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue
areas of lesion may then interfere with specific brain functions

Question 5

What is closed TBI?

Answer 5

a non penetrating injury to the brain
no break in the skull has occurred
damage may be due to acceleration/deceleration of head or blunt trauma
affects both grey and white matter

Question 6

What can closed TBI lead to shortly after injury?

Answer 6

loss of consciousness and post traumatic amnesia

Question 7

What scale can be used to measure TBI?

Answer 7

Glasgow Coma Scale

Question 8

What is the Glasgow Coma Scale?

Answer 8

a scale that measures patients level of consciousness and severity of brain Injury
scored from 3-15
lower score is worse / below 8 = severe TBI

Question 9

What is Anoxic-Hypoxic Syndrome?

Answer 9

refers to either complete (anoxic) or partial (hypoxic) oxygen deprivation
brain can only cope for around 4 mins without oxygen

Question 10

What can cause Anoxic-Hypoxic Syndrome?

Answer 10

• cardiac arrest
• stroke
• asphyxiation
• ingeting carbon monoxide
• blood loss
  -drug overdose

Question 11

What does deprivation of oxygen result in?

Answer 11

cell death, 2 stages:
- acute stage (release of excitatory neurotranmistters)
- secondary stage

Question 12

How can Anoxic-hypoxic syndrome vary?

Answer 12

varies as a result of type of anoxic event and the metabolic demands of the area
(e.g more oxygen demanding area means more likely to be affected)

Question 13

What is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome?

Answer 13

caused by a severe and chronic vitamin B1 deficiency
A B1 shortage can impair the nervous system

Question 14

What is another term for B1 Deficiency?

Answer 14

Thiamine

Question 15

What are the risk factors for Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome?

Answer 15

restricted diet
alcoholism
kidney dialysis

Question 16

What are some symptoms of Wernicke-korsakoff syndrome?

Answer 16

confusion
eye movement disorders
ataxia (problems with movement and balance)

Question 17

What are the areas of damage in Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome?

Answer 17

corpus callosum
mammillary bodies
anterior nucleus of thalamus

Question 18

What doe neuropsychological assessments report on?

Answer 18

• cognitive deficits
• preserved abilities
• behavioural patterns

Question 19

What are the 2 main forms of neuropsychology assessments?

Answer 19

• psychometric assessment
• behavioural assessment

Question 20

What is a psychometric assessment like?

Answer 20

quantitative, objective
in specific context
comparing ppts level of performance to normative standards

Question 21

What is a behavioural assessment like?

Answer 21

focuses on daily activities of ppts in situations / environments of particular importance to them
multiple contexts
direct observation, interviews, diaries

Question 22

What are 3 differences between psychometric and behavioural assessments?

Answer 22

P = specific context, B = multiple contexts
P environment is largely controlled, B may not be under assessor’s control
B has a direct relationship to rehabilitation treatment unlike P

Question 23

What are 4 basic steps in memory assessment?

Answer 23

1- background info gained
2- stage of recovery identified
3- establish degree of competency
4- prepare order of tests

Question 24

What is one example of a memory test?

Answer 24

Wechsler Memory Scale-IV

Question 25

What are the 4 main types of memory rehabilitation?

Answer 25

• mnemonics
• use of spared memory abilities e.g implicit and procedural
• vanishing cues method
• use of external memory aids (technology based)

Question 26

What are mnemonics?

Answer 26

a strategy to improve encoding and retrieval
used to remember items that are difficult to link

Question 27

What is the vanishing cues method?

Answer 27

providing ppts with a cue to help them retrieve required information
progressively amount of cues is reduced until no cues are needed

Question 28

What is errorless learning?

Answer 28

people are prevented from making mistakes whilst learning a new skill or acquiring new info