_edited_edited.png)
What is Cognition?
Cognition is the brain’s ability to process all the information it takes in from the senses. Brain is body’s thought processing center.
Cognition involves intellectual activities, including Thinking, Learning, understanding and using language, remembering, paying attention, reasoning, making decisions and applying judgement.
Cognition refers to a range of mental processes relating to the acquisition, storage, manipulation, and retrieval of information. It underpins many daily activities, in health and disease, across the age span.
Cognition is defined as ‘the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.’
The modern word ‘cognition’ actually has its roots back to Latin, the word ‘cognoscere’ which is to ‘get to know’.
Cognition is needed to distil all this information about the world around us, to interact safely and understand to its essentials.
What is a Cognitive Test?
'Cognitive' is a term used in psychology to describe anything related to thinking, learning, and understanding.
'Cognitive' refers to the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and comprehension. Some of the many different cognitive processes include thinking, knowing, remembering, judging, and problem-solving.
Cognitive Tests are short, quick tests to check how well individuals brain is functioning. These tests don’t diagnose specific diseases. Instead, they identify a problem with cognition and the need for more in-depth testing.
A cognitive test checks for problems with individuals’ mental function (how individuals brain processes thoughts). The test involves answering simple questions and performing simple tests.
Why is Cognitive Test required?
Cognitive Tests are designed to determine whether individual may have any issues with cognition, also know as Cognitive impairment.
Cognitive Tests are usually done if there’s a suspicion of mental decline or impairment.
Individual may have noticed such a decline themself or a close friend or family member may have noticed. You should let your doctor know the key symptoms of Cognitive impairment.
These tests don’t diagnose cognitive problems. Instead, they help individual’s provider determine if individual need to take more tests or if there are any cognitive issues they need to address.
Where is Cognitive Test taken?
Cognitive Test is taken in a healthcare setting. They’re usually given by a physician or nurse who may or may not have formal training in brain health. Based on the results of these quick, simple tests, individual may need more in-depth testing with a professional trained in brain health.
Why does someone need cognitive testing?
If people display signs of cognitive impairment, they might need cognitive testing. These changes could be noticed by the individuals themselves or by their family and friends.
Signs of cognitive impairment include:
Forgetting appointments and important events
Losing things often
Frequently misplacing objects in your house
Repeating Questions
Having trouble coming up with words that you usually know
Losing your train of thought in conversations, movies, or books
Feeling increased irritability and/or anxiety
What do low and high scores on a cognitive test mean?
Cognitive test result will be a score.
Low scores provide more information than High scores. A very low score usually means there’s some brain impairment. But a good score doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no brain impairment. There still could be brain functioning issues.
If your test score is normal, individual could still have some cognitive impairment that the test may not show. If individual or their family are concerned about the brain function, but individuals test results were normal, talk with individual’s provider about having another type of cognitive test.
If your score is lower than normal, it usually means individual have some level of cognitive impairment. But individual’s provider can't make a diagnosis on these test results alone.
Depending on their score, individuals' healthcare providers might also request tests to confirm or rule out treatable conditions that could be causing cognitive impairment. The specific tests they undergo will be determined by their medical background, a physical examination, and the outcomes of cognitive testing.
Individuals may be tested for treatable conditions such as:
Mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or stress
Concussion or other head injury from an accident or fall
Urinary tract infection (UTI)
If individuals have cognitive impairment that can't be cured, medicines and healthy lifestyle changes may help slow the loss of brain function over time.
Benefits of Early Assessment
If assessment is negative, meaning there is no evidence of cognitive impairment: Concerns may be alleviated, at least at that point in time, and it is useful for both the person with concerns as well as the clinician to have a baseline for future assessments.
If assessment is positive and further evaluation is warranted: The patient and physician can take the next step of identifying the cause of impairment because medical conditions such as tumors, vitamin deficiencies, or medication side effects can also cause serious memory problems that resemble dementia.
The results of an evaluation may lead to:
Treating the underlying disease or health condition
Managing comorbid conditions and medications more effectively and appropriately for the diagnosis
Averting or addressing potential safety issues
Allowing the patient to create or update advance directives and plan long-term care
Ensuring the patient has support services and a care network to help with medical, legal, and financial concerns
Working with the patient and their caregiver to develop strategies to improve quality of life, modify the patient’s lifestyle, make home safety modifications, and manage emotions related to the dementia diagnosis
Referring the patient to a geriatrician, neurologist, geriatric psychiatrist, neuropsychologist, geriatric social worker, geriatric counsellor, mental health counsellor, or substance abuse professional for a more specific diagnosis or help with care management
Ensuring the caregiver receives appropriate information, referrals, and support for coping with a dementia diagnosis, managing stress, and preparing for expected changes as well as making the best use of intact abilities
Encouraging participation in clinical research, including clinical trials and studies
Conclusion:
People should be assessed for cognitive impairment if:
The individual, family members, or others express concerns about changes in the person’s memory, thinking, or behavior
As the health care provider, you observe problems/changes in the patient’s memory, thinking, or behavior
Assessment for cognitive impairment is a required component of the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit.
People, particularly those who express a concern, likely want to know what the underlying problem is. It is important to emphasize that, no matter what the diagnosis is, there are options for support and care for the person and their caregivers.
It's important to talk with the patient and caregiver about potential challenges and how to cope with their results.
Comments