Problem 5: Lost in the Labyrinth
Neurocognitive Disorders (NCD) → damage or abnormalities in the brain regions that
influence thought and behaviour. They are a result of either cerebrovascular disease,
physical brain trauma, or a genetic predisposition. The results of NCD are impairments in
cognitive functioning, temperament, personality, and behavioural deficits.
S YMPTOMOLOGY OF NCD:
1. Learning and Memory Deficits
Simply referred to as amnesia, patients are unable to learn new information and have
difficulty in remembering recent or distant events. A form of amnesia that specifically refers
to memory loss beginning after a traumatic brain injury is anterograde amnesia.
Interestingly, patients retain their memories from before the event, but may have trouble
retrieving short-term memories.
2. Attention and Arousal Deficits
Patients with attention and arousal deficits can be easily distracted, may require more
time to make decisions, and present difficulties even when performing well-learned tasks
such as driving and writing.
3. Executive Function Deficits
Executive functions refer to complex behaviours that are controlled by the prefrontal
cortex. Damage to that are results in an inability to effectively problem solve, plan, initiate
conversation, organise, regulate emotions, and inhibit responses to name a few.
4. Aphasia
Aphasia can manifest as a difficulty in understanding or producing speech and is the
most common symptom of NCD. Two types of aphasia are fluent aphasia and non-fluent
aphasia. Fluent aphasia, also called Wernicke’s aphasia, is characterized by a deficit in
producing coherent speech as a result of incoherent thoughts and is related to damage just
behind the frontal lobe. Non-fluent aphasia, or else Broca’s aphasia, is a difficulty in
producing speech. It is associated to damage to the left frontal lobe.
Neurocognitive Disorders (NCD) → damage or abnormalities in the brain regions that
influence thought and behaviour. They are a result of either cerebrovascular disease,
physical brain trauma, or a genetic predisposition. The results of NCD are impairments in
cognitive functioning, temperament, personality, and behavioural deficits.
S YMPTOMOLOGY OF NCD:
1. Learning and Memory Deficits
Simply referred to as amnesia, patients are unable to learn new information and have
difficulty in remembering recent or distant events. A form of amnesia that specifically refers
to memory loss beginning after a traumatic brain injury is anterograde amnesia.
Interestingly, patients retain their memories from before the event, but may have trouble
retrieving short-term memories.
2. Attention and Arousal Deficits
Patients with attention and arousal deficits can be easily distracted, may require more
time to make decisions, and present difficulties even when performing well-learned tasks
such as driving and writing.
3. Executive Function Deficits
Executive functions refer to complex behaviours that are controlled by the prefrontal
cortex. Damage to that are results in an inability to effectively problem solve, plan, initiate
conversation, organise, regulate emotions, and inhibit responses to name a few.
4. Aphasia
Aphasia can manifest as a difficulty in understanding or producing speech and is the
most common symptom of NCD. Two types of aphasia are fluent aphasia and non-fluent
aphasia. Fluent aphasia, also called Wernicke’s aphasia, is characterized by a deficit in
producing coherent speech as a result of incoherent thoughts and is related to damage just
behind the frontal lobe. Non-fluent aphasia, or else Broca’s aphasia, is a difficulty in
producing speech. It is associated to damage to the left frontal lobe.
