Dementia, Delirium and Amnestic Disorder

Dementia, Delirium, and Amnesia Name Institution Dementia and delirium disorders are the most common reasons for cognitive impairment. Delirium and dementia are two separate disorders but distinguishing the two can be confusing sometimes as in both, there is the disorder of cognition. Three common cognitive disorders tend to be confused, and that include delirium, dementia, and amnesia. These three cognitive conditions share similar symptoms and signs. The main causes of cognitive disorders include; old age, head injuries, brain traumas and improper use of medicine. However, they all have different treatment, causes, and outcomes. Delirium This is a state of being in confusion and is usually developed during a short period. The condition is usually associated with hyperactivity and agitation. Symptom includes reduced ability to maintain attention and consciousness clouding (Liptzin & Levkoff,1992). It is caused by incoherent speech and disorganized thinking. Visual hallucination and the symptoms may be worse at night. Difference between delirium and dementia is that delirium is onset and dementia develops by time. Dementia patient is usually responsive and alert to the environment. Speech is confused in the delirious patient while in demented patients it is mostly coherent. In delirium, the patient has a chance of being resolved, but in dementia, it cannot be resolved. Dementia includes symptoms of losing the brain function that is the distortion of personality and memory loss. The affected may lose the ability to perform the common function for example dressing (Cummings & Benson, 1984). Dementia differentiates from delirium it cannot be resolved, as it tends to be permanent. Dementia is also related to the aging and is not considered a normal part of the aging process. The amnestic disorder is brought about by the system...