Neurocognitive Disorder And Dementia
Major neurocognitive disorder is a disease that impairs higher brain function as a result of neuronal damage. With the passage of time, the patient’s autonomy diminishes, also affecting normal daily activities.
Currently, in the face of the increase in life expectancy and the consequent aging of the population, neurocognitive disorder is considered a global problem. There is no cure for these diseases, but the symptoms can be treated.
The neurocognitive disorder
Neurocognitive disorders, in general, impair memory, perception, or problem solving. In other words, the so-called neurocognitive functions.
The most direct neurocognitive disorders include amnesia, dementia, and delirium. Neurocognitive disorder, in particular, affects older people, usually over the age of 60.
According to data from the World Health Organization, there are about 50 million cases in the world.
Symptoms and stages
The main symptoms of cognitive disorder manifest themselves by affecting different areas of mental function. The patient experiences a degenerative process in his autonomy and ability to carry out some activities. Cognitive impairment primarily affects:
- Language and perception.
- The memory, the thought or the judgment.
- The patient’s emotional behavior or personality.
The patient may also suffer from a number of symptoms related to the disorder, namely hallucinations, depression, aggression or delirium. In general, three main stages can be detected in the evolutionary process of neurocognitive disorder, which we will describe below.
Initial stage
The first symptoms consist of mild and gradual manifestations. The patient may experience mainly memory loss or episodes of disorientation that are not very frequent in time or space.
Intermediate stage
As the disease develops, the manifestations will become more noticeable. The patient also begins to need help with normal activities such as personal cleaning, shopping or paying bills.
In addition, episodes of memory loss become more serious and frequent. The person may feel disoriented in their home, with mild episodes of amnesia. Difficulties in communication are also possible.
Advanced stage
In the most advanced phase of the neurocognitive disorder, there is a progressive worsening: for the patient it becomes more and more complicated to carry out daily activities. He may also exhibit aggressive behavior during this stage. In the final stage, total dependence and inactivity can occur.
Alzheimer’s: a form of neurocognitive disorder
The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s. According to statistics, this disease appears in 60-80% of cases where neurocognitive disorder is previously diagnosed. Currently, there is no direct cure for Alzheimer’s, just as there is no one for major neurocognitive disorder.
However, there are several treatments that focus on symptoms to improve the patient’s quality of life. In addition, it is possible to slow down the development of the disease. To date, Alzheimer’s is one of the priorities of biomedical research.
Treatment of neurocognitive disorder
It should be remembered that neurocognitive disorder currently has no cure. The progressive course of the disease is inevitable. Treatment focuses on improving the patient’s quality of life.
First, the importance of nursing teamwork, doctors and social workers should be mentioned, as it is a multifactorial disorder.
In the treatment of this disorder, the role of the primary nurse is essential, the one who monitors the course of the disease. It is very important to avoid the complications and side effects of drugs and adherence to treatment.
The support of the family is essential, so that the patient is always accompanied. In addition, occupational therapies and support networks can be of great help.
In many cases, it is very important to prevent some secondary causes of the disease such as hypertension, cholesterol or obesity. The idea is to act against the risk factors that could predispose them.
Finally, a range of treatments can be used for some symptoms associated with cognitive impairment. These symptoms are hallucinations, delirium, depression or aggression, among others. The drugs prescribed in these cases are antipsychotics, antidepressants and anticonvulsant drugs.
