Skip to Main Content

Chapter 31: Problems of Cognition, Communication, and Behavior

Julie Hershberg

Description of the Symptom

This chapter describes pathology that may lead to problems with cognition, communication, and behavior. These types of problems are often observed together with central nervous system pathology. Disturbances of cognition include difficulty with problem solving and making sound judgments, organizing information, and memory. Cognitive problems can range from difficulty attending to a task to being in a comatose state.

image

View Table||Download (.pdf)
Functions of Selected Brain Structures
BRAIN STRUCTURE FUNCTION(S)

Frontal lobe

Broca's area (left hemisphere)

Initiation, judgment, memory, impulse control, sequencing, social behavior

Expressive language
Parietal lobe Sensory integration, awareness of body image and environment

Temporal lobe

Wernicke's area (left hemisphere)

Long-term memory, auditory processing

Processing of speech
Occipital lobe Visual field, color discrimination

Motor cortex (motor homunculus)

Somatosensory cortex (sensory homunculus)

Visual cortex

Auditory cortex

Contralateral control of movement

Contralateral perception of sensation

Contralateral perception of vision

Bilateral reception of auditory input

Special Concerns

  • Problems with cognition, communication, or behavior of sudden onset or rapid progression

  • Any problems that occur after trauma or are present during or soon after a viral or bacterial infection that have not yet been discussed with a physician

  • Problems with behavior that cause potential harm to the patient or others

CHAPTER PREVIEW: Conditions That May Lead to Problems with Cognition, Communication, and Behavior
View Table||Download (.pdf)
CHAPTER PREVIEW: Conditions That May Lead to Problems with Cognition, Communication, and Behavior
T Trauma

COMMON

Epilepsy/seizure disorder 645

Traumatic brain injury 658

UNCOMMON

Hypoxia (cerebral hypoxia, anoxia) 648

RARE

Not applicable
I Inflammation

COMMON

Aseptic

Multiple sclerosis 650

 

Septic

Encephalitis 644

Encephalopathy 645

Meningitis:

  • Bacterial meningitis 649

  • Viral meningitis 649

UNCOMMON

Aseptic

Systemic lupus erythematosus 657

 

Septic

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis 638

Cysticercosis 643

Lyme disease (tick paralysis) 649

Neurological complications of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome 652

Reye's syndrome 655

Rickettsial diseases, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever 656

RARE

Aseptic

Behçet's disease 640

Paraneoplastic syndromes 653

 

Septic

Klüver-Bucy syndrome 648

Malaria 649

Neurosyphilis (tabes dorsalis, syphilitic spinal sclerosis, progressive locomotor ataxia) 652

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy 655

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (Dawson's disease) 657

Whipple's disease (intestinal lipodystrophy) 660
M Metabolic

COMMON

Cushing's syndrome (hypercortisolism) 643

Neurotoxicity 653

UNCOMMON

Not applicable

RARE

Cerebral beriberi (Korsakoff's amnesic syndrome, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome) 641

Mitochondrial myopathies 650
Va Vascular

COMMON

Stroke (cerebrovascular accident) 657

Transient ischemic attack 658

UNCOMMON

Arteriovenous malformation 639

Cerebral aneurysm 641

Multi-infarct dementia/vascular dementia 650

RARE

Cavernous malformation 641

Gerstmann's syndrome 646

Moyamoya disease 650
De Degenerative

COMMON

Alzheimer's disease 638

Dementia with Lewy bodies 643

Parkinson's disease 654

UNCOMMON

Binswanger's disease (subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy, subcortical dementia) 640

Corticobasal degeneration 642

Frontotemporal dementia 646

Progressive supranuclear palsy (Richardson-Steele-Olszewski syndrome) 655

RARE

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease 643

Multiple system atrophy (striatonigral degeneration, olivopontocerebellar atrophy, Shy-Drager syndrome) 651

Pick's disease 655
Tu Tumor

COMMON

Malignant Primary:

Not applicable

Malignant Metastatic:

Not applicable

Benign, such as:

  • Neurofibromatosis 651

    ...

Pop-up div Successfully Displayed

This div only appears when the trigger link is hovered over. Otherwise it is hidden from view.

This site uses cookies to provide, maintain and improve your experience. MH Privacy Center Close