Facts on File Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

findings determine subsequent diagnostic proce-
dures, which often include COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
(CT) SCANor MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING(MRI) to
visualize brain structure and ELECTROENCEPHALO-
GRAM(EEG) to evaluate the brain’s electrical activ-
ity. Cognitive assessment testing measures the
ability to perform analytic and computational
tasks; recall information; and orient to time, place,
and current events.

CONDITIONS THAT MAY AFFECT COGNITIVE FUNCTION
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE BRAIN HEMORRHAGE
BRAIN TUMOR CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE(CJD)
DEMENTIA HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE
HYPOGLYCEMIA medication side effects
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS ORGANIC BRAIN SYNDROME
PARKINSON’S DISEASE sleep deprivation
STROKE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY(TBI)

Treatment Options and Outlook

Treatment approaches target the underlying
causes of cognitive dysfunction. Stopping med-
ications and correcting metabolic disorders that
disrupt thinking or memory result in rapid turn-

around of symptoms arising from these causes.

Because many of the areas of the brain involved

in cognition are functional rather than anatomic

divisions, their locations vary somewhat among

individuals. This is one of the factors that creates

challenge for neurologists when assessing the

extent of damage and the potential for recovery of

functions when the cause of the damage is injury

to the brain. In most people, recovery reaches its

maximum level in about two years from the time

of injury. Targeted, persistent PHYSICAL THERAPYand

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPYcan help the brain “repro-

gram” to use other areas for some cognitive func-

tions.

When the cause of cognitive loss is a progres-

sive neurologic disorder, treatment efforts are pri-

marily supportive and aim to maintain

independent functioning for as long as possible.

Medications such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

sometimes improve symptoms in people who

have Alzheimer’s disease though are less pre-

dictably effective in other degenerative disorders

that affect cognitive function. Other medications

may improve psychiatric stability, motor function,

cognitive function and dysfunction 243

COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS OF KEY BRAIN AREAS

Brain Area Key Cognitive Functions Indications of Damage
cerebrum—frontal lobes logic inability to conduct tasks such as simple math or preparing meals
analytic thought cannot get from one place to another, such as home to the store
judgment cannot follow directions or instructions
concentration difficulty finding the right words to speak or write
language formation short, fragmented attention span
and expression inability to assess right and wrong
planning
organization

cerebrum—temporal lobes language interpretation inability to understand what others say
memory recall cannot remember previously learned information

cerebrum—parietal lobes PROPRIOCEPTION(awareness inability to write
of body’s location in its
physical environment)

cerebrum—occipital lobes visual interpretation inability to read

amygdala/hippocampus memory storage cannot remember recent events
cannot learn new information