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What is Cognitive Impairment?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Cognitive impairment expresses a huge range of mental deficits from the very minor to the extremely severe in adults and children suffering from a variety of conditions. People can be impaired temporarily, have conditions diagnosed as mild cognitive impairment, suffer from illness creating progressive impairment, or simply have lower levels of ability to learn or remember (as with mental retardation) that will remain constant throughout life. Anyone who is impaired cognitively may lack, to greater or lesser degree, certain “normal” thinking facilities like the ability to remember, learn at a normal pace, adapt behavior to social settings, and process or understand information.

When people discuss brain deficits, they may mean mild cognitive impairment, an actual condition that raises the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. It occurs in seniors and typically involves conditions like recurring pronounced forgetfulness. Everybody forgets occasionally, but this type of impairment stretches beyond this to a pattern of forgetfulness that is usually easily recognizable. Not everyone who has the condition, which also may have symptoms like increasing depression or anxiety, develops Alzheimer’s, but it should be monitored when it occurs in seniors.

Chemotherapy patients often experience cognitive impairment.
Chemotherapy patients often experience cognitive impairment.

Some other forms of relatively mild impairment occur as a result of things like chemotherapy and during periods of life like menopause. The former has sometimes been referred to as "chemo brain" and the latter as "brain fog." Mild deficits in cognition related to body response to chemicals or body chemical changes may cause some errors in thinking, though principally people with these conditions remain high functioning. There are a number of temporary forms of cognitive impairment too, most related to either traumatic brain injury or to conditions like stroke. Many people recover fully as they recover from these conditions.

Menopausal women may experience cognitive impairment.
Menopausal women may experience cognitive impairment.

Very severe impairment can result from things like stroke or other forms of brain injury or they may present due to certain diseases or conditions. People with retardation lack the ability to perform what would be considered “normal” acts of cognition, and they need great support to function. Progressive conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, and some genetic diseases in childhood gradually strip the brain of its ability to act normally, and over time, impairment worsens.

Mentally handicapped individuals experience cognitive impairment throughout life.
Mentally handicapped individuals experience cognitive impairment throughout life.

Given the variety of potential causes, it’s difficult to discuss treatment for cognitive impairment. People with permanent mild to moderate deficits in thinking may respond to interventions, accommodations and some teaching techniques. Progressive illnesses are usually the most difficult to address because there are few treatments available. For diseases like Alzheimer’s, early treatment with certain drugs may help slow progress of the disease.

Cognitive function declines with age.
Cognitive function declines with age.

Temporary causes of impairment, like menopause or chemotherapy, mean most recover cognitive function as time passes and treatment isn’t required because impairment is slight. Recovery from things like stroke may restore majority of brain function, though not always. Those with true “mild cognitive impairment” are usually tested to be certain that they don’t have hormonal dysfunctions like low thyroid and doctors should closely evaluate people showing these signs to make certain the condition isn’t and indication of Alzheimer’s.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

BigBloom

Mind-altering drugs can often have a very negative effect and cause cognitive impairment. The drugs entice people for a short-term high or buzz, but in the long run will cause much difficulty and pain in life.

BioNerd

The brain is the leader of the whole body, and as such, it is important to keep the mind in check. Bad modes of thinking or fringe ideas which lead to psychological issues should be recognized as detrimental to the person and his or her community.

JavaGhoul

Keeping a strong and healthy brain is as important as keeping a strong and healthy body, if not even more important. Exercising the mind with constant challenges will keep you sharp and up to date to an old age. People with good minds are able to easily do well in life and are stronger against cognitive impairments.

dbuckley212

Some cognitive impairments which present themselves at birth are simply an imbalance in brain energy. An autistic person or someone with Aspergers syndrome may have trouble behaving normally in social situations, but may be able to tell you the number of seconds since he or she was born in a quick calculation. There is also considerable excitability involved in certain types of memory and learning with some people who have these conditions.

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    • Chemotherapy patients often experience cognitive impairment.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Chemotherapy patients often experience cognitive impairment.
    • Menopausal women may experience cognitive impairment.
      By: rob3000
      Menopausal women may experience cognitive impairment.
    • Mentally handicapped individuals experience cognitive impairment throughout life.
      By: Miriam Dörr
      Mentally handicapped individuals experience cognitive impairment throughout life.
    • Cognitive function declines with age.
      By: Barabas Attila
      Cognitive function declines with age.
    • Extreme cognitive impairment could be a sign of Alzheimer's.
      By: Robert Kneschke
      Extreme cognitive impairment could be a sign of Alzheimer's.
    • Cognitive impairment is often caused by traumatic brain injury.
      By: william87
      Cognitive impairment is often caused by traumatic brain injury.
    • Dementia and other cognitive disorders disrupt the brain's capacity to process and store data.
      By: riccardo bruni
      Dementia and other cognitive disorders disrupt the brain's capacity to process and store data.