Cognitive-Communication Disorders Flashcards Preview

Cognitive Neuroscience > Cognitive-Communication Disorders > Flashcards

Flashcards in Cognitive-Communication Disorders Deck (39)
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1
Q

Types of Attention

A

Sustained
Selective
Divided
Attentional Shifting

2
Q

Working memory

A

Ability to hold and manipulate several items of info at any one time

3
Q

Speed of processing

A

how quickly we process any kind of info

  • motor speed/reation time
    eg. reading a passage quickly/adding up as quickly as possible
4
Q

Visuoperceptual abilities

A

Ability to discriminate, integrate and process visual info

colour, shape, form, size

5
Q

Visuospatial abilities

A

Ability to conceptualize visual and spatial relationships

6
Q

Visuomotor/visuoconstructional abilities

A

Ability to manipulate and construct objects

7
Q

Types of memory

A

verbal memory, visual memory, immediate recall, delayed recall

8
Q

Immediate recall

A

Ability to recall info a short time after it has been presented
Includes verbal and visual info

9
Q

Delayed recall

A

Recalling info that has been stored for a period of longer than a few minutes
Both verbal and visual info

10
Q

Executive functions

A
High level abilities that guide and control behaviour 
Mental flexibility 
Inhibitory control 
Generativity 
Planning and organisation
Decision making 
Self-monitoring
11
Q

Indicators of Cognitive-Communication Disorders

A

Immediate recall, delayed recall, episodic memory

- affected in Alzheimers

12
Q

Prospective memory

A

Planning for the future

13
Q

Disorders of the Conceptualiser

A

Cognitive-Communication Disorders
High Level Language Difficulties
Right Hemisphere Language Disorder

14
Q

Neurological conditions associated with Cognitive-Communication Disorder

A

TBI
Dementia (Alzheimer’s Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia)
Stroke (R. Hem Stroke, prefrontal cortex)
Autism

15
Q

TBI

A

Insult to the brain caused by an external force

  • head being struck/striking an object
  • acceleration/deceleration without external trauma
  • foreign body penetrating the brain
  • Forces from blast/explosion
16
Q

Incidence of TBI

A

More common in males vs females
Assoc. with lower socioeconomic status, history of risk taking behaviour, poor academic/vocational achievement, use of alcohol and recreational drugs
Falls in the older population

17
Q

Forms of TBI - Closed Head Injury

A

Blunt blow/violent shaking

- Symptoms depend on the location, intensity and direction of blow, whether the head was still or in motion

18
Q

Forms of TBI - Penetrating Head Injury

A

Object penetrates skull, may carry debris into the brain

- type/severity of symptoms depend on location of penetration and trajectory of object

19
Q

Primary Damage from TBI

A
Coup and contrecoup damage 
Contusion, laceration and shearing of axons 
- diffuse axonal injury 
- bruising and swelling of brain tissue
Shearing of blood vessels 
- subdural and intracerebral haemorrhage
20
Q

Coup and Contrecoup injury

A
Skull strikes a stationary object - brain moves within the cranium 
Causes coup (site of contact) and contrecoup (opposite side) brain injury
21
Q

Common Sites of Primary Damage

A

Anterior and inferior frontal and temporal lobes
Explains common presentation of:
- depressed executive control over cognitive/communicative functions
- impaired social perception/social reactivity
- Reduced behavioural self regulation
Diffuse neuronal shearing concentrated in subcortical white matter, brain stem and corpus collosum
- contributes to initial loss of consciousness, arousal/attentional deficits, reduced processing speed

22
Q

Secondary Damage

A

Haemorrhage - slowly developing and localised
Cerebral oedema - widespread swelling
Intracranial pressure - compression/displacement of brain tissue due to pressure build up
Seizures - post traumatic seizures complicate recovery, may persist
Hypoxic Ischaemic Injury - stroke

23
Q

TBI Symptoms - Physical

A

Headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, sleep disturbance, weakness, paresis, sensory loss, spasticity, dysarthria, apraxia

24
Q

TBI symptoms - cognitive

A

Attention, memory, concentration, language, learning, speed of processing, planning, reasoning, judgement, executive control, insight, impulsivity

25
Q

TBI symptoms - behavioural

A

Depression, anxiety, agitation, irritability, impulsivity, aggression

26
Q

Mild TBI

A

GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) between 13-15

Duration of PTA (Post Traumatic Amnesia) of <1 hour

27
Q

Moderate TBI

A

GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) between 9-12

Duration of PTA (Post Traumatic Amnesia) of between 30 mins - 24 hours

28
Q

Severe TBI

A

GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) of 8 or less

Duration of PTA (Post Traumatic Amnesia) of >24 hours

29
Q

Cognitive Communication Difficulties

A

Word finding difficulties
Difficulty organising and sequencing information
Disorganised, poorly controlled and sequenced discourse
Inefficient comprehension
Difficulty processing lengthy, complex information
Difficulty understanding and expressive abstract language
Difficulty reading social cues, interpreting speaker intent, adjusting interaction styles to meet contextual demands
Difficulty adhering to conversational rules
Inappropriate social interaction
Self-awareness of problems is limited with poor planning and self monitoring ability
Short-term/working memory difficulties
Difficulty executing cognitive plans, managing time and self-regulation

30
Q

Delayed Consequences of TBI

A

Neurological Development
Increasing failure
Restrictions
Growing academic/vocational/family demands

31
Q

Recovery from TBI

A

Bulk of recovery takes place in first 6-9 months following injury
Continues for 2-3 years
- Recovery of memory functions appears to be somewhat slower than recovery of general intelligence
- Greater optimism for recovery of cognitive functions vs social abilities

32
Q

Social-emotional impacts of TBI/Cognitive Communication Impairment

A

55% of people with TBI had social relationship problems 23 years post injury
Sense of self development through interaction with others
Evidence linking social relationships is as important to health as smoking, obesity, BP and physical activity
Therapy goals need to focus on social relationships and identity

33
Q

Dementia

A

Results in progressive, global deterioration in intellect
- memory, learning, orientation, language, comprehension, judgement
Memory impairment - most evident symptom of dementia

34
Q

Priorities for Demenita Care

A

Early Diagnosis
Optimising physical health, cognition, activity and wellbeing
Detecting and treating behaviour and psychological symptoms
Providing info and long term support to carers

35
Q

Alzheimer’s Disease

A

Earliest sign = subtle memory change
Medial Temporal Lobe pathology - episodic memory loss
- Ability to retain new info after delay
- loss of memory for recent events
- poor encoding and rapid forgetting of info
Begins in cortical pathways (temporal lobes, hippocampus), spreads outwards

36
Q

Stages of Dementia

A

Early/mild
Middle/moderate
Late/Terminal

37
Q

Speech Path Focus in Dementia

A
Maximise function
Maintain sense of identity 
Reduce carer stress 
Manage family/carer expectations 
Adapt intervention as dementia progresses
38
Q

Strategies to Support Conceptualisation and Communication

A
  • Don’t ask lots of questions that rely on good memory
  • Stimulate opinions, feelings, thoughts vs recalling facts/knowledge
  • Don’t change topics suddenly
  • Allow time for important conversations
  • Turn down background noise and remove distractions
  • Encourage and support them to join convo where possible
39
Q

Reminiscence Therapy

A

Involves discussion of past activities, events and experiences
Can distract and calm, strengthen memories and stimulate communication
Taps into preserved store of long term memories, helps the individual to feel worthwhile and connected
Uses multiple communication channels and tangible prompts to draw attention to past (photos etc)