
Neurocognitive Disorders
Neurocognitive disorders are a category of mental health disorders that primarily affect cognitive abilities including learning, memory, perception and problem solving.
Neurocognitive disorders include delirium and major and mild neurocognitive disorder previously known as dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease accounts for the majority of cases of neurocognitive disorders. There are also other medical conditions that affect cognitive functions like memory, thinking and reasoning including traumatic brain injury, parkinson’s disease, lewy body disease, fronto temporal degeneration, huntington’s disease and HIV infection.
Diagnosis of neurocognitive disorders involves a thorough clinical evaluation supplemented by brain imaging and other lab work.
Management and treatment of neurocognitive disorders involves a team of professionals including nurses, nutritionists , psychologists , speech therapists and physical therapists working under supervision of an experienced Geriatric Psychiatrist. Psychosocial support for patients and their families is crucial.