Other

Cognitive is what, how to develop cognitive functions and abilities, so that later there are no violations and distortions. Cognitive disorders: symptoms, prevention and treatment Indicative actions performing a cognitively productive function

Man differs from animals in the presence of higher nervous activity. The ability to think, communicate using meaningful speech, express it in writing, as well as perform directed actions, plan and holistically perceive reality are combined into cognitive functions.

What do cognitive functions include?

Cognitive or cognitive functions are those brain processes that are aimed at interacting with other people and the world around us. Human life is extremely dependent on the ability to remember and store information, correctly compare known facts, and anticipate the consequences of one’s actions. The degree of development of such mental processes is individual; they can be trained, but can be disrupted under the influence of various factors.

It is a mistake to believe that cognitive functions are only memory (see). The ability to perceive, store and reproduce information is important, but it is impossible without other processes.

Attention is one of these functions, which is characterized by the ability to concentrate mental processes on specific object. Each individual has the following characteristics:

sustainability;
switchability;
concentration;
concentration;
volume.

The function of perception is the construction of integral images based on information received from the senses. Perception is characterized by constancy: an object is defined as the same regardless of changes external conditions. This ability is not typical for animals: a dog may consider a familiar person a stranger if he is in the shadows or wears unfamiliar clothes.

Find out why this happens with age: causes.

Cognitive abilities include praxis - the ability to produce a conscious sequence of actions or movements. The ability begins to be mastered in infancy, when a rattle is first placed in the child’s hand. Then finger praxis develops - the ability to manipulate one’s fingers, and gestures appear.

Symbolic praxis occupies a special place - these are various gestures by which one can understand what a person wants to say, imitation of holding a telephone receiver, driving a car, drinking from a glass. The language of the deaf is roughly based on this principle: performing a special set of gestures allows you to communicate without words.

Connection of functions with parts of the brain

What are cognitive functions based on their location in the brain? They are thought of as special areas of the brain with groups of neurons responsible for a specific type of nerve transmission. Impaired blood supply, damage or tumor growths in these areas lead to impairment of the cognitive functions of the brain.

Cognitive functions are formed in the cortex. It is divided into three zones:

sensory – involved in processing signals from the senses;

motor – provides movement different parts bodies;

associative – provides a connection between the two previous ones, determines a behavioral response based on impulses from the sensory zone.

The frontal lobes of the cortex provide logical, speech, and movement planning. The centers for analyzing sensory sensations are located in the parietal region. Data processing visual analyzer conducts the occipital lobe, and the temporal lobe conducts hearing.

More ancient parts of the brain provide basic survival skills. The limbic system is memory, smell, emotions. The thalamus is responsible for redirecting impulses from the organs of hearing, vision, balance and tactile sense. Memorizing new information occurs thanks to the hippocampus.

The midbrain plays a role in consciousness and self-awareness, feelings of existence, and adaptive behavior. The interaction of all departments and the transmission of impulses occurs thanks to neurotransmitters:

serotonin;

dopamine;

GABA;

adrenalin;

acetylcholine.

It often happens that they slow down or speed up cognitive tasks.

Reasons for violation

The severity of the disorders can vary: from mild to severe. Factors influencing the development of pathology are:

Degenerative diseases: , Parkinson's.

Pathologies associated with blood vessels: heart attack and stroke, atherosclerosis.

Metabolic disorders: hypoglycemia, hepatic or renal encephalopathy, drug use (benzodiazepines, anticholinergics), hypo- or hyperthyroidism.

Neuroinfections.

Head injuries.

Brain tumors.

Pathology of cerebrospinal fluid outflow.

The type of violation will depend on the location of the damaging factor. Mild or cognitive impairment moderate severity Even after a stroke, older people can recover with proper treatment.

Cognitive disorders are the most common neurological symptom, signaling that normal operation brain is damaged. This directly affects the ability to rationally understand the world. The causes of this condition can be many different diseases. What is this pathology?

What is cognitive impairment

The cognitive functions of the body are such a function of our nervous system, which is responsible for understanding, cognition, study, awareness, perception and processing of information from external environment. Without this function, a person is not able to understand the world around him. Let's take a closer look at which brain functions will be affected in this situation:

Attention. The person can no longer allocate important information out of the general flow, he is unable to concentrate.
Perception. It becomes impossible to perceive information from the external environment.
Memory. The ability to store and reproduce received information is impaired.
Psychomotor function. The ability to perform any motor skills (drawing, writing, driving) is lost.
Intelligence. The analysis of information and the ability to draw conclusions are impaired.
Speech.

The causes of cognitive impairment can be divided into two categories: functional And organic. The first are characterized by what is missing direct defeat. Overwork can lead to this, negative emotions, stressful conditions. This type of disorder can occur in people of all ages. This is not dangerous; usually the symptoms go away on their own after the cause of their occurrence is eliminated. Sometimes it is advisable to use mild drug therapy.

Organic disorders will always be associated with brain damage. Such conditions are more often observed in older people. But correct treatment in many cases will lead to significant improvements.

The most common causes of cognitive disorders:

Vascular diseases of the brain. This may include arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis (leading to occlusion of great vessels), strokes.
Injuries.
Alcoholism.
Addiction.
Liver failure.
Kidney failure.
Drug abuse.
Parkinson's disease.
Alzheimer's disease.
Brain tumors.
Poisoning (see also -).
Multiple sclerosis.

Symptoms

Symptoms are varied. In many respects it will be determined by the severity pathological process and localization of disorders in the brain. Often, not one function suffers, but several at once.

Memory deteriorates. At first, recently occurring events are forgotten; as the disease progresses, the patient also forgets what happened a long time ago. Read more about memory impairment here:.
Decreased concentration. A person has difficulty solving specific problems.
Disorientation in an unfamiliar place.
The activity of thinking decreases. New information is not perceived, it is difficult to draw conclusions.
Lack of criticism of one's behavior.

Depending on the severity of violations, three types can be distinguished:

Mild impairments . Symptoms in in this case will be: decreased concentration, slight memory impairment, increased fatigue for various types of intellectual work. A person may forget the names of acquaintances, be unable to find his way in an unfamiliar place, and find it difficult to find words. He may often forget where he put something.

Diagnosis of these disorders is carried out using psychological and clinical examinations. A neuropsychological test may reveal a disorder in serial counting. Characterized by the absence of large-scale changes in behavioral and emotional sphere, no atrophy in the brain. Professional and social activity is slightly impaired.

Moderate cognitive impairment . It is caused by a deterioration in one or more cognitive processes. Impairment of instrumental activities of daily living, may require outside assistance. The patient does not remember well some events in life and cannot find his way.

Severe form - This . This form is characterized by the presence serious problems in social and professional life, and even in basic self-care, outside help is constantly needed. The patient is disoriented in time and does not remember most life events. This form can be complicated by anxiety, obsession, hallucinations and delusions. The most severe manifestation is lack of speech, complete loss of psychomotor skills.

Let's look at cognitive impairment using the example of stroke.

Monofunctional disorders. One cognitive function (perception, memory, speech) is affected.
Moderate degree of impairment. The presence of multiple cognitive impairments. There is no dementia in this case.
Post-stroke dementia. Multiple cognitive disorders lead to maladjustment of the patient.

Signs of cognitive disorders (video)

In this video you can listen to how often cognitive disorders occur, who is more susceptible to them, how to identify this problem in time and begin to solve it.

Cognitive disorders in children, symptoms, treatment

This problem is quite common in children and adolescents. The reasons may be a lack of vitamins and minerals important for the body, previous diseases, birth injuries, intrauterine infections, brain hypoxia.

Important! The most common cause of childhood cognitive disorders is hypovitaminosis. Scientists have conducted a number of studies in which they have identified a clear pattern of deterioration in cognitive functions in children due to insufficient provision of micronutrients.

Characteristic symptoms are hyperactivity syndrome with lack of attention, impaired behavioral reactions, unstable psyche, difficulties in mastering writing and reading skills.

Treatment of children should be comprehensive, including medicinal and non-medicinal methods of therapy. Medicinal products are usually used nootropic drugs. They improve metabolism and interneuronal transmission in the central nervous system, which has a positive effect on mental activity, attention, memory, speech and learning ability. Such drugs include Piracetam, Instenon, Encephabol.

Psychotherapy sessions will have a good effect. It is also necessary to train your memory, for example, by memorizing poems and songs.

Diagnostics

In order to identify the presence and degree of cognitive dysfunction, you need to carefully interview the patient and his relatives. Heredity, a history of trauma, bad habits, the patient’s psycho-emotional state, and medication use should be taken into account.

Neurologists examine the patient to detect an underlying disease that may cause neurological symptoms.

A psychiatrist can help determine your mental state using neuropsychological tests. These tests are special exercises to reproduce pictures and words, solve problems, perform some motor programs, and the like.

It is very convenient to use the MMSE scale - this is a list of questions that will help assess the state of speech, memory, perception, reading, sketching, time orientation, and so on. This scale is also used to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of therapy.

In patients with acquired cognitive deficits, additional laboratory examinations should be performed. For the doctor, data from clinical and biochemical blood tests, lipid profiles, levels of thyroid-stimulating hormones and some other indicators will be important.

The following hardware techniques are used: computer and magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography, Dopplerography of the great vessels.

The patient needs to exclude possible somatic diseases.

If you suspect Alzheimer's disease, you need differential diagnosis of this disease with vascular dementia.

If you notice even the mildest symptoms of cognitive disorders, you can start taking vitamin and mineral complexes and the amino acid Glycine. Of course, self-medication is dangerous, so before starting any therapy, consult your doctor first.

Therapy, of course, will largely be determined by the cause of cognitive impairment. But its main goal is correction pathological changes occurring in the brain. In addition to treating the underlying disease, doctors prescribe drugs with neuroprotective properties to improve cognitive function. These include: Mildronate, Cavinton, Piracetam, Nootropil, Ceraxon, Cerebrolysin. This is great prevention further development this pathology.

If the patient with severe dementia, he will be shown the following drugs: Donepezil, Rivastigmine, Memantine, Galantamine, Nicergoline. The dosage and duration of the course are selected strictly individually.

Drugs that help fight hypercholesterolemia (Torvacard, Simvastatin, Atorvastatin) are also indicated. In addition, it is advisable to adhere to a cholesterol-free diet. You should include cottage cheese, low-fat milk, vegetables, fruits and seafood in your diet. It is very important to get rid of bad habits, if any.

Psychotherapy will be helpful.

Prevention

The vast majority of cases of cognitive impairment, if already present, will tend to progress. Therefore, the goal of prevention is to stop the further course of the pathological process and reduce the damaging effects on the brain. To do this, you need to follow certain rules:

Taking medications prescribed by a doctor.
You also need to do exercises to train cognitive functions (memorizing poems, solving crosswords, drawing, and so on).
It is extremely important to maintain a stable psycho-emotional state and avoid negative emotions and as far as possible.
The connection between cognitive functions and physical activity has been proven. Therefore, you must definitely do some kind of sport (walking, swimming, gymnastics, Pilates, yoga).
The importance of social activity cannot be underestimated. In socially isolated people, the risk of these disorders increases several times.
Need to pay close attention for food. It must be rational. Very good effect it will be if you stick to it Mediterranean diet. Can be used food additives and vitamins: zinc, copper, vitamin E, B vitamins, ginkgo biloba, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Cognitive impairment is undoubtedly a very significant problem for human health. Therefore, it is extremely important to identify this syndrome at an early stage of its occurrence. This will help to take adequate measures to prevent the progression of the disease.

Next article.

This problem mainly occurs in older people. The high incidence of cognitive disorders in this category of patients is explained by age-related changes organisms that negatively affect the functioning of the central nervous system.

Cognitive impairment refers to memory loss, mental capacity and other intelligent functions. Such changes are identified by comparing current indicators with the individual norm.

Cognitive brain functions - what is it?

Cognitive (cognitive) functions are the most complex processes occurring in the brain. They provide a rational perception of the surrounding reality, an understanding of the events occurring around a person. Through the cognitive abilities of the brain, people find connections between themselves and what they encounter in the world. everyday life.

Cognitive activity consists of the following functions:

Memory. This term refers to the special ability of the brain to assimilate incoming information, store it and, if necessary, reproduce it.
Gnosis. This function is responsible for the perception of incoming information from the outside world. Gnosis refers to the brain’s ability to process data and synthesize the simplest sensations coming from all senses into holistic structures.
Speech. This concept refers to a person’s ability to exchange previously acquired information through statements.
Praxis. This term refers to a person's ability to acquire and retain new motor skills and then use them in everyday life.
Intelligence. It refers to the ability to compare incoming information, find commonalities and differences. A person’s ability to make judgments and draw various conclusions on a particular issue depends on the level of intelligence.

Three stages of cognitive impairment

Such violations are usually classified according to the severity of the consequences. Cognitive disorders may be of the following nature:

With mild disorders, minor changes are observed that fall within the limits established standards for a specific age group. Such disorders do not create problems for a person in everyday life. At the same time, people themselves or those around them may notice such changes.
Moderate impairments are characterized by changes in cognitive functions that go beyond existing norms. However, such violations do not affect the person’s condition and do not cause maladjustment in his everyday life. Moderate disorders usually manifest themselves as problems in performing complex intellectual tasks.
The most dangerous type of cognitive personality disorder is dementia, or dementia. This condition is accompanied by significant changes in memory and other brain functions. Such disorders are pronounced and have a direct impact on a person’s daily life.

Complex of provoking factors

There are more than 10 different factors that can lead to cognitive disorders of brain function. The most common cause of such disorders is Alzheimer's disease. This pathology is accompanied by the gradual death of brain neurons, as a result of which its individual functions are suppressed.

The first and most striking sign of Alzheimer's disease is memory loss. At the same time, motor activity and other cognitive functions for a long time remain within normal limits.

In addition to Alzheimer's disease, a decrease in a person's intellectual capabilities is observed in the following neurodegenerative pathologies:

Quite often, cognitive disorders can appear when vascular diseases brain. These include:

Cognitive deficits can also develop with the following diseases (although with much lower risks than in the previous case):

liver and kidney failure;
hypoxia;
hypoglycemia;
hypothyroidism;
thyrotoxicosis;
deficiency of proteins, B vitamins;
brain tumor.

Among the probable causes of the development of psychoneurological disorders are severe poisoning and long-term use psychotropic substances. Also to dementia and moderate violations brain functions can result in head injuries.

Clinical picture

Intensity clinical picture determined by the severity of the lesion and the location of the pathological process in the brain. In most cases, several types of cognitive disorders of varying severity and intensity are observed.

Neurological diseases manifest themselves in the form of the following phenomena:

With dementia, patients lose the ability to critically assess their own condition, and therefore, when interviewed, they do not complain about the above symptoms.

The first sign indicating a cognitive deficit is memory loss. This symptom occurs even with mild forms of disorders brain functions. On initial stages the patient loses the ability to remember information that was received relatively recently. As the pathological process develops, he forgets events that happened in the distant past. In severe cases, the patient is unable to name given name and identify yourself.

Symptoms of disorders with moderate brain damage often go unnoticed. Such disorders are sluggish in nature and do not transform into dementia. The presence of moderate disorders can be determined by the following symptoms:

difficulties in performing simple counting operations;
problems repeating recently learned information;
disorientation in a new area;
Difficulty finding words during a conversation.

On light form cognitive disorders indicate:

memory loss;
problems with concentration;
high fatigue when performing mental work.

Brain dysfunction in children

Children experience cognitive dysfunction due to a deficiency of certain vitamins.

Modern research has proven the relationship between cognitive impairment and a lack of beneficial microelements in the body. Vitamin deficiency negatively affects the ability to memorize new information, concentration, intensity of the thought process and other types of brain activity.

Pathologies caused by a lack of microelements occur in approximately 20% of children and adolescents. In most cases, problems related to speech and language functions are observed.

In addition to vitamin deficiency neurological diseases in children occur for the following reasons:

diseases affecting the cerebral cortex;
congenital metabolic disorder;
perinatal damage to the nervous system that occurs during the formation of the fetus.

In the latter case we're talking about O:

In this regard, one of the main tasks facing modern medicine, is the development of methods for early diagnosis of cognitive disorders in children.

Diagnostic criteria

Diagnosis of malfunctions in brain functions is carried out if the patient or his immediate relatives consult a doctor with complaints of memory loss and deterioration of mental abilities.

Study current state a person is assessed using the Brief Mental Status Assessment Scale. In this case, it is important to exclude the presence of emotional disorders(depression), which leads to temporary memory impairment. In addition to screening scales, the patient’s mental status is assessed using dynamic observation behind him and his behavior. Repeated examination is scheduled approximately 3-6 months after the first one.

To assess the degree of dementia, the patient is asked to draw a clock

For quick analysis mental state Patients today use the so-called Montreal Cognitive Impairment Rating Scale. It allows you to test many brain functions in about 10 minutes: memory, speech, thinking, counting ability and more.

The assessment is carried out by testing the patient. He is given tasks and certain time for their implementation. At the end of the tests, the doctor calculates the final results. A healthy person must score more than 26 points.

The MMSE scale is used in stroke to detect cognitive impairment

How to improve the patient's condition?

When selecting a treatment regimen for a patient, it is important to first establish the cause of the development of cognitive disorder. Therefore, after assessing the mental status, a comprehensive examination of the patient is carried out.

Treatment tactics for disorders are determined based on the severity of the disease and the cause that provoked the impairment of brain function. IN mild therapy And moderate dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease or vascular pathologies, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or Memantine are used. However, the effectiveness of these drugs has not yet been proven. They are prescribed mainly to prevent further progression of the pathological process and the development of dementia.

In case of diagnosis vascular pathologies that provoked a failure of brain activity, the following are used:

phosphodiesterase inhibitors promote vasodilation, which leads to normalization of blood circulation;
α2-adrenergic receptor blockers suppress the actions sympathetic division nervous system, which led to a narrowing blood vessels.

Actovegin is used to restore neurometabolic processes. The drug increases the plasticity of brain neurons, which has positive influence on the functions of cognition.

In addition to these medications, if available neurological disorders various therapeutic tactics aimed at correcting the patient's behavior. It takes a lot of time to complete this task, since such treatment involves a consistent transformation of the human psyche.

Tactics for managing a patient with impaired cognitive functions:

Prevention and prognosis

A general prognosis for cognitive disorders cannot be made. In each case, the consequences are individual. But provided that you seek help from a specialist in a timely manner and follow all medical instructions, it is possible to stop the development of the pathological process.

It is important to note that there are two types of cognitive impairment: reversible and irreversible. The first form can be corrected, but the second cannot.

Prevention includes measures aimed at reducing stress and increasing a person’s mental and physical activity. To avoid such violations, it is recommended to young regularly perform intellectual tasks.

In addition, in order to prevent dementia, vascular pathologies and liver diseases should be treated promptly, and the deficiency of B vitamins should be regularly compensated.

This section was created to take care of those who need qualified specialist without disturbing the usual rhythm of your own life.

Cognitive functions: what are they?

Most brain functions are closely related to the functioning of the central nervous system. It is these two elements that are responsible for controlling the body and mind. The interconnected work of these systems carries out vital important functions body. There are basic functions human body, such as sleep, the desire to reproduce, breathing and heartbeat. In addition, there are higher functions that are “turned on” during conversation or memory. Each part of the brain is responsible for a specific functional set. Elements such as the cerebellum, pons and medulla oblongata. The higher functions of the brain are controlled by the hemispheres and frontal lobes of the cerebral cortex.

The word “cognitive” is a scientific term and is not often found in everyday speech.

What does the term "cognitive function" mean?

After the procedure has been reviewed human brain, we can move on to the question of what cognitive functions are. This term used to describe the mental processes through which a person is able to perceive, transmit, analyze and remember various information. Thanks to these processes, a person gets the opportunity to interact with the world around him.

The human brain is active every day. Cooking breakfast, reading books, driving and making small talk are carried out thanks to billions of complex calculations. Connections between neurons in different areas of the brain allow a person to establish contact with his environment. Thus, cognitive functions are responsible for communication contact not only between people, but also surrounding objects.

Quite often, when talking about higher cognitive functions, cognitive skills are mentioned, the purpose of which lies in interaction with the outside world. Although each of these skills is considered separately, most of them have a strong relationship and various overlaps. Cognitive functions of the human brain include:

Attention is a rather complex process that covers many thought processes. It is difficult to give attention a clear and concise description and include it in a specific anatomical structure. Speaking figuratively, attention is a cognitive function with the help of which a person, among external (smells, sounds and images), as well as internal (thoughts and emotions) stimuli, selects those that will be useful in order to realize mental or motor activity. It is this formulation that allows us to most accurately characterize all the complex processes that are involved in the work of other higher functions.
Memory is one of the most complex processes by which received information is encoded, stored and reproduced. The performance of this system plays a fairly significant role in everyday life. This skill is closely intertwined with attention, since without it it is impossible to obtain complete information.
Executive processes are another complex higher-order system. There are a sufficient number of different definitions for this term, but most of them are characterized by the control of cognition and regulation of the way of thinking, through the use of various processes that have little relationship. Executive processes are a collection different abilities among which should be highlighted directed attention, elements of planning and programming, as well as the regulation of intentional behavior. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for executive functions.
Speech is a communication system through which communication between people occurs. Among the main functions of speech, in addition to establishing contact with people around us, we should highlight the construction of a competent structure of thinking. During speech processing, different parts of the brain are activated. The main interaction of various functional systems observed in the left hemisphere of the brain. Speech processing involves two cortical areas of the left hemisphere, which are responsible for the reception and expression of speech.
Visual Perception - This set of higher skills includes functions that help a person to distinguish and recognize different stimuli. This set of skills allows you to categorize various objects and remember them. A properly constructed and adjusted system of visual perception allows a person to remember people’s faces, and gives the opportunity to find the differences between a screwdriver and a dress.

Cognitive functions are abilities that connect us with the world around us and allow us to form an idea of it

Each of the above skills includes several subgroups that are closely interrelated.

How these functions are used

When examining the question of cognitive functions, what they are, attention should be paid to special attention use of these skill sets. Every day the human brain takes part in a huge number of tasks. physical problems. Each of these tasks requires millions of calculations that are completed in fractions of a second. various areas brain As an example of the use of cognitive skills, let's consider the following situations:

Cooking involves multiple cognitive abilities. In order to prepare a meal, you need to remember the recipe and pay attention to the degree of readiness of the various ingredients. Thus, the brain competently distributes its activity and solves many incoming problems every second. Certain parts of the brain are responsible for communicating with other people. The ability to listen and understand the interlocutor is not all the cognitive skills that accompany a conversation. During a conversation between people, abilities such as concentration and attention are activated. It is thanks to these communication skills that a person has the opportunity to communicate with the people around him.

Driving a vehicle is a rather complex process that requires composure and increased concentration. Millions are involved in activating this skill neural connections, which are responsible for a wide range of cognitive abilities. Many people think that relaxed automatic actions do not involve the use of cognitive skills. However, this opinion is wrong. These abilities are directly involved in this process, since without them a person would not be active in any way.

Cognitive impairment negatively affects a person's achievements in the most different areas his life

How Cognitive Skills are Connected to Brain Regions

Let's move on to the question of how cognitive abilities are related to certain parts of the brain. This functionality is a special part of the brain that has its own group of neurons. The purpose of these neurons is to transmit certain nerve impulses. Cognitive decline can be caused by circulatory disorders, traumatic brain injury, and malignant neoplasms in the brain area.

Most cognitive skills are formed in the cerebral cortex. Scientists divide this department into three main zones:

Associative – responsible for ensuring the connection between sensory and motor skills. In addition, this zone determines the reaction of consciousness to impulses emanating from the sensory area.
Motor – responsible for various movements of the human body.
Sensory – responsible for processing signals coming from the senses.

The frontal lobes are directly involved in logical and abstract thinking, pronunciation and speech perception, as well as in planning movements. The occipital lobe is responsible for analyzing visual information, and the temporal lobe is responsible for auditory sensations. In the very center is a system that analyzes sensory feelings. There are certain parts of the brain that are responsible for skills necessary for survival. These skills include emotional expression, smell, and memory.

There are even brain sections that are involved in the redistribution of all incoming information, which contributes to coordinated work the whole body.

The midbrain performs one of the main tasks and is responsible for awareness of one’s own personality. In addition, this department is responsible for adaptive behavior. The transmission of nerve impulses between departments is carried out using neurotransmitters. These elements include adrenaline, serotonin, acetylcholine and many other substances. It is these microelements that are responsible for the speed of various cognitive processes.

Cognitive performance is the ability to perform brain functions such as attention, memory, language, visuospatial perception and executive functions

Various brain activity disorders

Cognitive impairment may have varying degrees expressiveness. There are a number certain factors, which entail changes in brain activity. These factors include traumatic brain injury, infectious and oncological diseases. In addition, cardiovascular pathologies such as atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attack have a certain impact on the functioning of the brain.

Degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease play an important role in the issue of cognitive impairment. The development of various disorders in the functioning of the brain is facilitated by problems with metabolism and the functionality of the immune system.

Quite often, the type of violation depends on the form of exposure to certain factors. Some skills are subject to full restoration with the right approach to treating the disease. However, the effectiveness of treatment directly depends on the timeliness of seeking medical help.

Impairment of cognitive functions (memory, speech, perception)

The central nervous system is responsible for the ability of the human brain to perceive, realize, study and process information coming from outside. Disturbance in the activity of the higher nervous system causes a disorder in the cognitive functions of the brain. In this case, a person’s personal individuality is lost. He becomes irritable. Behavioral characteristics change. Problems begin with the basic functions of awareness of the space around.

Cognitive deficit occurs due to impairment intellectual characteristics person. Gnostic, responsible for the perception of objects and phenomena and their awareness. Mnestic, responsible for reproducing information already processed by the brain. A decrease in these functions occurs in diseases of a neurodegenerative nature, diseases of the cardiovascular system, infectious diseases of the brain, or in the case of traumatic brain injury. The main mechanism of this process is the disconnected work of the cerebral cortex and subcortical structures.

People at risk for this type of disorder are those suffering from: hypertension. People who have had a history of various types heart attacks and strokes.

There is a violation of the motor, or so-called, neurotransmitter system of the body. There is a death of dopaminergic neurons, which are responsible for motor activity and muscle contraction. The activity of noradrenergic neurons is markedly reduced. In the body, the systems that transmit impulses - neurotransmitter connections - die off.

Our brain is divided into two hemispheres, one of which is responsible for logic and the other for creative aspects. If there is a disruption in the functioning of the left hemisphere, then the consequence will be a violation of logical thinking. Violations in the functions responsible for calculation, writing, reading. These are diseases such as apraxia, aphasia, agraphia, etc. There is a disorder in voluntary mental activity.

Violation of the right hemisphere of the brain is fraught with changes in visual-spatial perception. Lack of analysis of ongoing processes. Orientation in space. With such a violation, there is a violation of the ordered information about the organization of the body. Emotionality of perception, the ability to fantasize and daydream are catastrophically reduced.

Damage to the frontal lobe can lead to loss of memory, will, planning, abstract thinking, and artistic expression.

The temporal region, if damaged, will deprive a person of hearing, smell, and vision. All sensory functions are at risk. At the same time, the use of previous experience based on memorization and emotional perception of the surrounding space will go beyond the norm.

Damaged parietal lobe brain can cause sensory or sensorimotor impairment of one half of the body, blindness in half of the visual field of both eyes, visual neglect of the opposite half of space, and disturbance of orientation in space. In some cases, it can cause the development of epileptic seizures.

The occipital lobe of the brain is responsible for visual perception. Lack of color separation, perception of color gamut, color shades, face recognition function.

If the cerebellar zone of the brain is affected, the coordination of human movements is impaired. The gait becomes non-linear. If part of the cerebellum is damaged, then there is a disruption in muscle activity on the damaged side. Damage to the cerebellum is also accompanied by muscle fatigue. IN autonomic system there is a violation of sweating and vascular innervation.

Causes of cognitive disorders

Cognitive impairment may be temporary if it occurs due to mechanical injury brain or intoxication of the body. This disorder is curable and the body will return to normal within a certain time. If the disorders are caused by vascular diseases, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, then the problem will be progressive.

Almost the most common cause of cognitive diseases is disorders of vascular origin. It is defined as pseudo-neurasthenic syndrome. This is reflected in many diseases, such as aneurysms that grow from congenital or acquired in the process of life, defects in the walls of blood vessels. Spontaneous dissection of blood vessel tissue, cardiac arrhythmia, weakening circulatory system stroke condition, all this can lead to progression of the disease. Another causative factor may be a decrease in blood flow through the vessels.

Illness may also be a cause for the development of cognitive impairment. internal organs, poisoning or abuse alcoholic drinks. Need to pay great value normal functioning of all body systems. Constantly monitor blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Because changes in their quantitative composition can cause other disorders in the functioning of the body.

Every person has ever experienced the above-mentioned consequences of cognitive impairment: forgetfulness, visual impairment, inability to analyze. But if these cases in your life are isolated, then this is one thing. What if you constantly exhibit such symptoms? If people around you begin to pay attention to this, you need to sound the alarm. Don’t delay - consult a neurologist. If the disease is present and left untreated, it will progress. This can cause a lot of unpleasant and problematic sensations, including the development of dementia.

Testing for cognitive impairment

If you are still found this type disorders, then there is a need to determine baseline system indicators. The testimony of relatives and personal memories of the patient will be useful. Many factors must be taken into account. Did anyone in the family have similar deviations. Is the patient susceptible? depressive state. The presence of head injuries, use of medications, and consumption of alcoholic beverages are relevant.

In order to assess the general condition of the patient, depending on the severity of the disease, tests are carried out by a neurologist or psychiatrist. They are based on the use of special clinical scales. The analysis takes into account behavioral, functional and emotional states test subject.

The MMSE (Mini-mental State Examination) scale is the most commonly used. It includes thirty questions aimed at determining the patient's level in the functions of speech, orientation, reading, etc. On this scale, the result is determined in points. From 21 to 25 points – there are unprincipled impairments in the cognitive system. If the score is low from 0 to 10, then the violations are global and must be treated immediately. The normal state of the system is in the range from 26 to 30 points. When using this scale, it is necessary to know the starting educational threshold of the subject.

In the Clinical Dementia Rating scale - CDR, the level of disease is determined by increasing points. If the subject has no memory impairment, behavioral characteristics at home and at work are unchanged, and he is able to take care of himself, then the score will be zero. A score of 1 indicates a mild impairment, and a score of 2 indicates a moderate level of dementia. Ball three is a severe form of the disease.

Frontal lobe dementia is tested by the Frontal Assistance Battery (FAB). This method is based on comparing test results on FAB scales. and MMSE.

Indicates a disorder low performance FAB if the patient scores less than 11 points. At the same time, the MMSE test gives relatively high result. In Alzheimer's disease, MMSE scores decrease, and FAB is at its maximum level. In severe dementia, scores on two scales are low.

If damage to subcortical structures and the frontal part of the brain is suspected, a clock drawing test is performed. You need to draw a dial with hands fixed at a certain time.

If it turns out that the disease is caused by heredity, it is prescribed laboratory examination. Testing is required to determine the type of heredity. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are also widely used to visualize the state of the brain. Ultrasound Doppler effect is used to check blood vessels. An EEG is also prescribed to determine the state of the brain.

The patient is examined for the presence chronic diseases pulmonary region and cardiovascular system.

Alzheimer's disease is difficult to identify and treat. Its process is smooth. Without any obvious violations. Determine such a state on early stages almost impossible. This disease mostly affects older people.

Treatment of cognitive impairment

Treating dementia involves finding and eliminating the cause of the disorder. Many drugs are used: donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, memantine, nicergoline. The treatment regimen is selected for each case individually.

For treatment to be effective, the patient must, in addition to taking medications, follow a diet. Consume more vitamin B. Low-cholesterol foods are recommended: vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, seafood. Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking.

Consultation with a neurologist on the topic of cognitive impairment

Good for the brain active work. We need to make it work. Count in your head, solve crosswords, draw, etc.

People at risk for cognitive diseases are those suffering from multiple sclerosis. They are malfunctioning short term memory, speed of processing incoming information. There is a violation of spatial perception and the visual apparatus.

Some people wonder what “evoked cognitive potentials” are. These potentials are a kind of indicator of work in the brain. The essence of the method is to determine the processes occurring in the brain when reacting to a stimulus and the processes of remembering and reproducing the irritating aspect. The method is used in electroencephalography.

If you have identified any factors of brain dysfunction, do not self-medicate. Contact your doctor and he will give professional recommendations to eliminate the causes of your anxiety. After all, the problem may be larger than you imagine.

Cognitive functions are a sign of higher mental activity

What do cognitive functions include?

It is a mistake to believe that cognitive functions are only memory (see Types of Memory Loss). The ability to perceive, store and reproduce information is important, but it is impossible without other processes.

Attention is one of these functions, which is characterized by the ability to concentrate mental processes on a specific object. Each individual has the following characteristics:

The function of perception is the construction of integral images based on information received from the senses. Perception is characterized by constancy: an object is defined as the same regardless of changing external conditions. This ability is not typical for animals: a dog may consider a familiar person a stranger if he is in the shadows or wears unfamiliar clothes.

Find out why the cognitive sphere changes with age: the reasons for its occurrence.

Why aphasia occurs during a stroke and how to treat it.

Cognitive functions of the brain are speech and intelligence. A person can meaningfully pronounce sounds that form words, and those form sentences. Symbols correspond to sounds, and written language. A person can construct phrases and conduct a monologue without participation speech apparatus, mentally pronouncing the words.

The number of words used and the ability to construct complex phrases depend on intelligence. We can say that these are combined cognitive abilities. They are based on attention, perception, memory, and representation.

The development of intelligence separated man from animals, but this general concept, which is realized through various mental functions. It is determined through learning ability, logical thinking, the ability to analyze information, compare and find patterns. These are also planning skills, the ability to foresee distant events based on data from present reality.

Intelligence is characterized through the breadth and depth of thinking, logic, flexibility of mind, criticality and evidence. Its value can be measured; IQ tests have been developed for this purpose. They are based on an observed pattern: if a person is able to solve problems of a certain type, then there is success in solving others.

Erudition is an important component of intelligence, but they cannot be equated. A large amount of knowledge in an erudite does not mean the ability to manage it or draw logical conclusions (see Who is an erudite).

Cognitive abilities include praxis - the ability to produce a conscious sequence of actions or movements. The ability begins to be mastered in infancy, when a rattle is first placed in the child’s hand. Then finger praxis develops - the ability to manipulate one’s fingers, and gestures appear.

Symbolic praxis occupies a special place - these are various gestures by which one can understand what a person wants to say, imitation of holding a telephone receiver, driving a car, drinking from a glass. The language of the deaf is roughly based on this principle: performing a special set of gestures allows you to communicate without words.

Connection of functions with parts of the brain

What are cognitive functions based on their location in the brain? They are thought of as special areas of the brain with groups of neurons responsible for a specific type of nerve transmission. Impaired blood supply, damage or tumor growths in these areas lead to impairment of the cognitive functions of the brain.

Cognitive functions are formed in the cortex. It is divided into three zones:

sensory – involved in processing signals from the senses;
motor – provides movement of different parts of the body;
associative – provides a connection between the two previous ones, determines a behavioral response based on impulses from the sensory zone.

The frontal lobes of the cortex provide logical and abstract thinking, speech, movement planning. The centers for analyzing sensory sensations are located in the parietal region. The processing of data from the visual analyzer is carried out by the occipital lobe, and hearing in the temporal lobe.

More ancient parts of the brain provide basic survival skills. The limbic system is memory, smell, emotions. The thalamus is responsible for redirecting impulses from the organs of hearing, vision, balance and tactile sense. Memorizing new information occurs thanks to the hippocampus.

The midbrain plays a role in consciousness and self-awareness, feelings of existence, and adaptive behavior. The interaction of all departments and the transmission of impulses occurs thanks to neurotransmitters:

It often happens that they slow down or speed up cognitive tasks.

Reasons for violation

The severity of the disorders can vary: from mild to severe. Factors influencing the development of pathology are:

Degenerative diseases: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease.
Pathologies associated with blood vessels: heart attack and stroke, atherosclerosis.
Metabolic disorders: hypoglycemia, hepatic or renal encephalopathy, drug use (benzodiazepines, anticholinergics), hypo- or hyperthyroidism.
Neuroinfections.
Head injuries.
Brain tumors.
Pathology of cerebrospinal fluid outflow.

The type of violation will depend on the location of the damaging factor. Mild or moderate cognitive impairment, even after a stroke in the elderly, can recover with proper treatment.

Have you ever wondered why people's destinies are so different from each other, because we are all built the same? So why, despite this, does one person achieve success in life, while another fails at seemingly the simplest things?

Of course, it's all about how the brain works. More precisely, in his ability to process incoming information. Let's see how this happens.

Imagine looking at a moving car.

Your eyes are no more complicated than a video camera. They just know how to perceive light and convert it into a stream of signals. For these signals to make sense, your brain must do a lot of extra work.

First of all, he must recognize the contours of the car against the background of the objects surrounding it and compare the resulting shape with millions of others stored in your memory. Just think about the fact that you can do this in a split second, and you will understand what amazing abilities you have. Moreover, you can do this even if it is dark outside and the car is only partially visible.

This process is called " perception”, and its result will be an image of a car in your mind.

An image is much more than just a picture. Your eyes convey to you only a flat silhouette with two wheels, while the image includes everything you know about cars. Do you understand what this is - vehicle, that it has 4 wheels, that it is made of iron and is very heavy, and also that if you suddenly collide with it, you may be in trouble. But that's not all!

Your brain is constantly busy predicting the future! As soon as he notices the car, he immediately calculates the likelihood of your collision. To do this, based on the apparent angular size of the car and your knowledge of its real length, he will determine the distance, estimate the speed and direction of movement and perform all the necessary calculations, the result of which will be your decision: to continue the journey or slow down.

It came into play thinking– ability to perform with images various operations and predict consequences. It is thanks to thinking that you are able to plan your actions.

Processes described memory, perception and thinking so complex that not one, even the most powerful, modern computer can't handle them as well as your brain. However, its possibilities are not limitless.

The brain cannot analyze absolutely everything you see and hear. Every second he has to choose which of the incoming signals need to be processed and which can be ignored.

This mechanism is called " attention" Thanks to him, only the most important in at the moment information. So, for example, if an obstacle suddenly appears on the way (for example, a pole or a hole), your attention will instantly switch to it, and your brain will immediately calculate a new route. However, if for some reason your attention is diverted to something else, there will be trouble, because in your inner world, unlike the real one, this obstacle simply will not exist!

Cognitive functions include the most complex processes controlled by the brain.
These are memory, speech, intelligence, praxis (performing purposeful actions)and gnosis (holistic perception of reality).

With their help, knowledge of the surrounding world is accomplished and purposeful interaction with it is ensured.

Thanks to cognitive functions, information is perceived, processed and analyzed, memorized, stored,constant exchange between individual parts of the brain, development of a specific program of action, its implementation and monitoring of results.

Sometimes, under certain circumstances, more often - in case of any diseases or traumatic injuries brain, there may be a deterioration in cognitive performance compared to the individual baseline level.

This occurs due to a decrease in one or more of its components (memory, praxis, gnosis, speech).

If cognitive decline is due to cerebrovascular disease ( encephalopathy, ), then the difficult flow of higher cortical functions called vascular cognitive disorders.

The location and extent of brain damage determine the severity and nature of cognitive decline.
White matter dysfunction frontal lobes, which contains neuron processes, leads to a decrease in cortical afferentation. As a result, the number of nerve impulses reaching the frontal cortex decreases, which means it receives less information.

If they suffer deep sections brain (both gray and white matter), secondary dysfunction of its anterior sections occurs.

Due to the fact that cognition is ensured by the coordinated activity of the entire brain at the same time, it does not have strict local connections with specific brain structures.

But different parts of the brain are not equal participants in this process. Each structural unit of the brain makes its own individual contribution, depending on the role it plays.

Accordingly, the brain is divided into
three large functional blocks.

1. First - neurodynamic - consists of the ascending part of the reticular formation, nonspecific nuclei of the thalamus and limbic system. These brain formations are considered structures of the first level of cognitive function.
They provide the brain with an optimal level of wakefulness, promote concentration and stability of attention, and create motivational and emotional accompaniment of higher brain activity.

2. Second functional block - secondary and tertiary zones of the cortical analyzers of hearing, vision, sensitivity. These include the temporal, parietal and occipital lobe brain These areas of the brain receive and process various information.

3. Third , the highest functional level is formed by the premotor and prefrontal cortex. They are located in the frontal lobes,regulate voluntary human activity, are responsible, on the basis of the information received, for determining and setting goals, plan actions, carry them out and monitor the results obtained.

Therefore, damage to any of the listed anatomical and functional levels leads to disruption of certain or several or all cognitive processes.

Our brain has multimillion-dollar interneuron connections, it resembles a huge labyrinth, has a large . Connections between neurons form and change throughout life. Due to the multimillion-dollar and billion-dollar connections between various neurons and their groups, cognitive functions exist.

The formation of long-term memories and the brain's ability to retrieve life experiences from them occurs throughout life. The hippocampus is responsible for storing long-term memories. The more connections there are between neurons in the brain, the smarter and more experienced the brain is.