Knowra Cognitive impairment Cognitive impairment Cognitive impairment is a decline in abilities such as memory, attention, language, or reasoning. It ranges from mild, measurable difficulty to severe loss of independence.
Neuropsychological assessment : The systematic measurement of cognitive abilities and behavior using interviews, observations, and standardized tests. Tests identify which abilities have declined and help distinguish impairment from everyday variation.
Cognition : The mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge, attention, memory, language, reasoning, and decision-making. Impairment describes decline within these broader mental processes.
Cognitive screening : A brief assessment used to identify people who may need more detailed evaluation of cognitive function. Screening can flag possible decline but does not by itself establish a diagnosis.
Normal cognitive aging : Age-associated changes in cognitive speed and some memory abilities that do not necessarily impair independence. It separates expected age-related changes from decline that exceeds them.
Neurodegeneration : The progressive loss of neuronal structure or function, often leading to worsening neurological abilities. Progressive neuronal damage can produce steadily worsening cognitive abilities.
Mild cognitive impairment : A measurable decline in cognitive ability that does not substantially disrupt independent daily functioning. It names a mild level of decline between expected ability and dementia.
Montreal Cognitive Assessment : A brief standardized screening test that samples several cognitive domains, including memory and executive function. It is one commonly used tool for detecting possible mild cognitive changes.
Depression : A mental health condition involving persistent low mood or loss of interest and changes in thinking and behavior. Depression can impair concentration and memory, sometimes resembling or worsening cognitive decline.
Cerebral small vessel disease : Damage to small blood vessels in the brain that can injure white matter and cause small strokes. Its disruption of brain networks often slows thinking and impairs executive function.
Dementia : A syndrome of acquired cognitive decline severe enough to interfere with independent everyday functioning. Functional interference marks a more severe syndrome than cognitive test changes alone.
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