Cognition Flashcards
Multi-store model of memory?
Input > sensory memory > attention > goes to short term memory > by connecting a rehearsal loop can keep that in short term memory, but doing rehearsal over time can move to long term memory > when want to recall something you retrieve it from long term into short term
3 types of long term memory?
episodic, semantic and procedural
Define episodic memory?
memory of experiences- things that have happened as you, actively remember and think about, the more significant the more you remember it
Define semantic memory?
remembering facts (you recall the facts but you don’t remember when you learn the facts specifically) ideas and concepts not learned from experience
Define procedural memory?
memory on specific procedures usually motor skills
dont necessarily think about it “muscle memory”
e.g. walking, riding a bike, driving
What things do we tend to remember?
those that are meaningful and interesting
What is meant by primacy and recency effects?
Theprimacyeffect refers to recalling the items from the beginning of the list, and therecencyeffect refers to recalling items from the end of the list
we tend to remember first and last and forget the stuff in between
Describe how retrieval cues can help with memory?
context- external environment triggers
state- similar state e.g. drunk more likely to remember when drunk
organisation- organising information into for example pneumonic helps
Explain pro-active and retro-active interference?
Proactive interference (pro=forward) occurs when you cannot learn a new task because of an old task that had been learnt. … Retroactive interference (retro=backward) occurs when you forget a previously learnt task due to the learning of a new task
Diagnostic criteria for delirium?
- clouding of consciousness
- disturbance of cognition
- psychomotor disturbance
- disturbance of sleep wake cycle
- rapid onset and fluctuation of symptoms over the course of the day
- underlying disease process responsible although that disease process does NOT need to be found for diagnosis
- emotional disturbance
Describe consciousness in delirium?
fluctuating with lucid intervals
Describe cognition in delirium?
- disorientation in time, place and person
- impaired memory and attention
- perceptual disturbances > hallucinations and illusions (hallucinations tend to be visual)
Hallucinations in delirium vs functional mental disorders?
hallucinations in delirium tend to be visual whereas in functional mental disorders they are more commonly auditory
Describe psychomotor disturbance in delirium?
3 presentations
- hyperalert > agitation, disorientation, hallucinations, sometimes aggressive
- hypoalert > confusion, sedation, often confused for depression
- mixed > fluctuating symptoms of both
Describe sleep in delirium?
- insomnia
- sleep loss
- reversal of sleep cycle
- nocturnal worsening of symptoms
- disturbing dreams and nightmares
Describe emotional disturbance in delirium?
- depression
- anxiety
- fear
- irritability
- euphoria
- apathy
- perplexity
- aggression
Onset of delirium is ___1___
It has a ____2_______ course
It lasts ____3_______
This is in contrast to dementia which is _____4____
1) rapid
2) transient and fluctuating course
3) days to months depending on the underlying cause
4) slow onset but gradually progressive
Causes of delirium?
endless list, ultimately anything but here’s some common causes
Drugs, HF, PE, ICH, MI, UTI, renal failure, hypoxia, intoxication, hepatic failure, pancreatitis, diabetic complications, thyroid problems, trauma, surgery, infection, epilepsy, tumours, encephalitis, intoxication, withdrawal
Describe age and likelihood of developing delirium?
Delirium can occur at age but the more old and frail and comorbidities the less it takes to cause delirium
very frail can be caused by environmental factors alone
Risk factors for delirium? (9)
- increased age
- cognitive deficit e.g. dementia
- existing sensory deficits (makes orientation worse so perpetuates delirium)
- previous episode
- hypo/hyperthermia
- long or emergency surgery
- immobility
- social isolation
- new environment
Investigations for delirium?
- 4AT is a short test for delirium
- history and full physical exam
- investigations are guided by emerging underlying cause:
urinanalysis, FBCs, U and Es, LFTs, thyroid function, blood glucose, CRP, B12 and folate, CXR, MRI/ CT brain
Overview of management of delirium?
identify and treat cause
manage environment and provide support
prescribe
review
Describe management of environment and providing support in delirium?
- educate staff
- reality orientation: clear communication, clock and calendar in room
- correct sensory impairments: glasses and hearing aids from home
- bright side room with unnecessary noise reduced
- ensure basic needs are met
Describe prescribing in delirium?
- sedating drugs can worsen delirium by increasing confusion
- alcohol withdrawal requires reducing scale of benzodiazepines
- otherwise anti-psychotics are standard treatment, usually haloperidol
- in parkinsons disease or lewy body demntia should give lorazepam instead (dont want to be blocking dopamine receptors with haloperidol)
