Dementia Study Notes & Cognitive Disorders Summary for Healthcare
Students
Define dementia - ANS ✔✔An acquired syndrome consisting of a decline in memory and other
cognitive functions. Dementia is used as an umbrella term to group all diseases in which there is
some form of memory loss. DEMENTIA IS NOT A DISEASE.
Symptoms of dementia emerge slowly, - ANS ✔✔worsen over time and restrict ability to
function. Because depression can sometimes affect memory and cognition, it is often difficult to
clearly differentiate it from dementia.
Dementia is not - ANS ✔✔a specific disease or part of normal againg
Dementia describes a group of symptoms - ANS ✔✔affecting intellectual and social abilities
severely enough to interfere with daily functioning. Many causes of dementia symptoms exist
What is the most common cause of progressive dementia? - ANS ✔✔Alzheimer's disease
Etiology of Dementia - ANS ✔✔impaired functioning of multiple brain systems in both cortical
and sub-cortical areas associated with short-term memory (i.e. learning) and other higher
cognitive functions. (Hippocampus- this is where Alzheimer's starts). Generally this is due to
structural brain damage that is often progressive and relatively irreversible
Diagnosis of Dementia - ANS ✔✔Memory impairment impaired ability to learn new information
or to recall old information AND at least one of the following: Aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, or
abstract thinking/executive function impairments. Cognitive deficits result in impairment in
social and/or occupational function. Symptoms not explainable by another disorder (delirium or
psychiatric condition)
Aphasia - ANS ✔✔language impairments (language disturbances)
, Apraxia - ANS ✔✔motor impairments (impaired ability to carry out motor activities despite
intact motor action)
Agnosia - ANS ✔✔sensory impairments (failure to recognize or identify objects despite intact
sensory function)
Abstract thinking/executive function impairments - ANS ✔✔impairments (disturbance in
executive functioning -impaired ability, plan, organize, sequence, abstract)
Aphasia: characterized initially by fluent aphasia - ANS ✔✔-- Able to initiate and maintain a
conversation
-- Impaired comprehension
-- Intact grammar and syntax however the speech is vague with paraphasias, circumlocutions,
tangential and frequent use of nonspecific phrases ("the thing")
-- Later language can be severely impaired with mutism, echolalia. (Using "that's for sure" over
and over again in conversation)
Apraxia: Inability to carry out motor activities despite intact motor function - ANS
✔✔Contributes to loss of ADLs. ADL = Activities of Daily Living (self care, grooming, eating,
ability to dress themselves)
Agnosia: The inability to recognize or identify objects despite intact sensory function - ANS
✔✔Typically occurs later in the course of illness. Can be visual or tactile. Examples include: Loss
of ability to identify eating utensils, personal care items for grooming, clothing
Impaired Executive Functions: Difficulty with planning, initiating, sequencing, monitoring or
stopping complex behaviors. - ANS ✔✔Occurs early to midcourse. Contributes to loss of
instrumental activities of daily living -DLs such as shopping, meal preparation, driving and
managing finances
Students
Define dementia - ANS ✔✔An acquired syndrome consisting of a decline in memory and other
cognitive functions. Dementia is used as an umbrella term to group all diseases in which there is
some form of memory loss. DEMENTIA IS NOT A DISEASE.
Symptoms of dementia emerge slowly, - ANS ✔✔worsen over time and restrict ability to
function. Because depression can sometimes affect memory and cognition, it is often difficult to
clearly differentiate it from dementia.
Dementia is not - ANS ✔✔a specific disease or part of normal againg
Dementia describes a group of symptoms - ANS ✔✔affecting intellectual and social abilities
severely enough to interfere with daily functioning. Many causes of dementia symptoms exist
What is the most common cause of progressive dementia? - ANS ✔✔Alzheimer's disease
Etiology of Dementia - ANS ✔✔impaired functioning of multiple brain systems in both cortical
and sub-cortical areas associated with short-term memory (i.e. learning) and other higher
cognitive functions. (Hippocampus- this is where Alzheimer's starts). Generally this is due to
structural brain damage that is often progressive and relatively irreversible
Diagnosis of Dementia - ANS ✔✔Memory impairment impaired ability to learn new information
or to recall old information AND at least one of the following: Aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, or
abstract thinking/executive function impairments. Cognitive deficits result in impairment in
social and/or occupational function. Symptoms not explainable by another disorder (delirium or
psychiatric condition)
Aphasia - ANS ✔✔language impairments (language disturbances)
, Apraxia - ANS ✔✔motor impairments (impaired ability to carry out motor activities despite
intact motor action)
Agnosia - ANS ✔✔sensory impairments (failure to recognize or identify objects despite intact
sensory function)
Abstract thinking/executive function impairments - ANS ✔✔impairments (disturbance in
executive functioning -impaired ability, plan, organize, sequence, abstract)
Aphasia: characterized initially by fluent aphasia - ANS ✔✔-- Able to initiate and maintain a
conversation
-- Impaired comprehension
-- Intact grammar and syntax however the speech is vague with paraphasias, circumlocutions,
tangential and frequent use of nonspecific phrases ("the thing")
-- Later language can be severely impaired with mutism, echolalia. (Using "that's for sure" over
and over again in conversation)
Apraxia: Inability to carry out motor activities despite intact motor function - ANS
✔✔Contributes to loss of ADLs. ADL = Activities of Daily Living (self care, grooming, eating,
ability to dress themselves)
Agnosia: The inability to recognize or identify objects despite intact sensory function - ANS
✔✔Typically occurs later in the course of illness. Can be visual or tactile. Examples include: Loss
of ability to identify eating utensils, personal care items for grooming, clothing
Impaired Executive Functions: Difficulty with planning, initiating, sequencing, monitoring or
stopping complex behaviors. - ANS ✔✔Occurs early to midcourse. Contributes to loss of
instrumental activities of daily living -DLs such as shopping, meal preparation, driving and
managing finances
