Cognitive Disorders: What They Are And What Are Their Types
The human mind can fail in different ways, and those alterations that affect cognition are especially serious.
This article will explain what a cognitive disorder is, which refers to an impairment of our normal brain functioning. We will also see a section to understand what cognitive functions are, we will understand why these are so important when explaining the topic of the article and we will add a classification of the main types of cognitive disorders.
A cognitive disorder is a type of mental disorder that centrally affects our cognitive abilities, those that train us to be able to carry out the tasks that we need to perform in our daily lives. It is an alteration that affects the mind at different levels related to foresight, planning and the search for solutions to problems.
Cognitive mental disorder is considered to be a psychological disorder that is caused by some problem in the normal functioning of basic cognitive functions. Alterations in these basic cognitive functions generate problems in other more complex cognitive functions, as we will see below.
Cognitive functions
To better understand the alterations or dysfunctions that occur in cognitive disorder, it is appropriate to recognize the cognitive functions that may be involved. These are all are those mental processes that enable us to perform tasks
Next we are going to review the main basic brain functions and the main complex brain functions that are involved in a cognitive disorder.
Basic or primary cognitive functions
For our survival we have had to learn to perceive, select, process, manage and work with relevant information. The basic functions allow us
1. Attention
This function allows the person to focus on the relevant information in a specific context or problem to be solved. The stimuli that occur around us are infinite, and process all the available information is impossible and useless.
2. Perception
It is through our senses that information reaches us. Perception is the function that works on internal and external stimuli, that is, the one that channels and makes us aware of all types of information that is produced in our body and in our environment
3. Memory
This function allows you to organize the information that has been processed and learned. There are many types of memory but we can say in general that memory organizes, archives and recovers all types of data so that we can work with it.
4. Reasoning
It is the responsible logical function, with implications for executive functions as important as problem-solving abilities or language.
From the previous basic functions, more complex ones are derived that relate different areas of the brain to achieve it Below we see the most notable ones.
1. Orientation
Orientation has different axes of reference, since it is a cognitive function that takes into account space, time the relationship with oneself and the relationship with others.
2. Language
Language is the competence that allows an individual interpret logical and symbolic systems
3. Practical skills
They are those capabilities related to organization, planning and efficient execution. This neurological process is what allows you to perform physical actions of all kinds like knowing how to dress or draw.
4. Executive functions
If you have impaired executive functions great disturbances occur in people’s intentionality since this function supervises all lower level cognitive functions like the previous ones.
5. Problem solving skills
In reality, it is a set of intelligences or abilities that allow us to solve complex problems of all kinds.
Types of cognitive disorders
Cognitive functions They are essential to be able to lead a life without dysfunctions when carrying out day-to-day tasks.
Thus, after seeing the main primary and secondary cognitive functions, it will be much easier for us to understand the different types of cognitive disorder that we are going to present below.
1. Direct cognitive disorders
We classify as direct cognitive disorders those that, by their nature, have a direct impact on the cognitive functions that we have explained previously.
Amnesia
Amnesia is a term that refers to partial or complete loss of memory. It affects this basic brain function very specifically, preventing the individual from retrieving or retaining information that he had already saved in his brain.
These processes of managing this information occur through complex brain mechanisms such as encoding, storage and evocation.
Dementia
When cognitive deficits occur, such as in dementia, any of the brain functions can be affected. Highlights the impact that dementia has in memory, language, attention, control or inhibition of behavior praxis and executive functions or problem-solving abilities.
Delirium or acute confusional syndrome
These are all those organic disorders, that is, caused by a loss or abnormality of the structure, function of brain tissue, or both conditions at the same time.
In this condition, alterations can occur at the level of consciousness, and complex cognitive functions. It is characterized by being acute and with very global effects but it is also reversible.
For example, if delirium occurs due to a brain tumor that presses on the brain tissue and it is successfully removed without damaging the structure, the person returns to their normal state.
In anxiety disorders there is a fear of a future threat. Our mind gives an emotional alteration as an anticipatory response which can even lead to physical symptoms such as tachycardia or tremors.
The behaviors are generally avoidant, and can occur continuously or episodic. There is a good variety of them that affect our normal cognitive activity. Below we will see the most representative ones.
Phobias
A phobia is a psychological disorder characterized by a very intense and unjustified fear of animals, objects or specific situations.
They are a type of disorder that can give rise to experiences of extreme anxiety or panic in the person who suffers from it. There are different of them, and depending on what the object of fear is the person’s life may be more or less affected.
For example, people who suffer from social phobia may have their normal way of functioning in social situations such as parties or events seriously affected.
Generalized anxiety disorder
In this type of disorder, generalized worry and anxiety about any daily event is very common. The people who suffer from it They are constantly worried about things going wrong
Restlessness, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, sleep disorders, irritability and fatigue are common manifestations associated with this disorder. Like other cognitive disorders, cognitive functions are subject to the mental state of the person who suffers from it.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Extreme events that may have been experienced can trigger post-traumatic stress. A war, a rape, a hurricane, an attack or a serious accident on the road can give rise to this type of mental impairment.
This disorder makes the person feel stressed and afraid of reliving what has happened to them Memories of what has been experienced and difficulty sleeping, feelings of loneliness and guilt, worry or sadness, and even explosions of anger appear, affecting the individual but also those around him.
4. Psychotic disorders
These types of disorders cause abnormal ideas and perceptions, causing the person to lose contact with reality. Delusions and hallucinations are the main symptoms
Delusions are nothing more than false beliefs that maximize their impact on your personal life, for example that the neighborhood is against you or that someone in the newspaper is sending you secret messages. Hallucinations are false perceptions of reality, the person seems to hear, feel or see something that does not exist.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a type of psychotic disorder characterized by loss of judgment of reality accompanied by great personality disorganization
In schizophrenia, positive symptoms and negative symptoms appear. The former include delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders, while the negative ones affect lack of motivation, emotion or alteration thereof, and speech difficulties.
Furthermore, problems of decreased neurocognitive capacity appear in this cognitive disorder. Basic functions such as memory, attention, problem solving or social control are seriously affected.
Delusional disorders or paranoid psychosis
This psychotic disorder It is characterized by the delusional ideas that the person has These are not as strange as in other disorders if there is no other notable psychopathology.
People who suffer from it do not meet the criteria for schizophrenia and lack hallucinations, or at least noticeably so, as some may appear related to the theme of delirium.
Who suffers from delusional disorder enjoy a sufficiently functional life, only shows strange behavior on topics directly related to the delusional idea. Unfortunately, the patient’s life can be increasingly affected by the weight and influence that their beliefs have on other areas of their mental life.
3. Mood disorders
These cognitive disorders greatly affect the person who suffers from them because they are unable to lead a normal life as their mood is very altered. Depression and bipolar disorder are presented as the most representative of this type of disorders.
Depression
Depression is a mental illness that is characterized by a very acute alteration of the state where pathological sadness is the main symptom. This feeling is more intense and lasting than we would understand as normal, and can cause great anxiety Everything together can appear without a justified cause.
It is a cognitive disorder because it produces a decrease in the ability to concentrate and think, and can encourage ideas as negative as suicide. It can also lead to isolation, agitation, lack of communication and even aggressive behavior (towards oneself or others).
Bipolar disorder
This disease is characterized by passing from episodes with a euphoric state to episodes with a depressive state Events in the patient’s life are not the cause of these behavioral changes.
Those who suffer from bipolar disorder may also have psychotic symptoms, with more or less severe degrees. The most severe degrees of euphoria and depression can occur very quickly and intensely, making it difficult for the individual to lead a normal life.
