MAJOR NEUROCOGNITIVE DISORDERS

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The term neurocognitive disorders describes a group of conditions that weaken a person's mental functions. A person isn't born with this kind of disorder. Instead, they acquire it through another medical condition that leads to damage in the brain. (SIU Medicine)

Neurocognitive disorders can also affect an individual’s ability to regulate their emotions, especially anger, and their personalities may change in other ways as well. The effects on a person’s ability to follow directions and execute complex activities often manifest as trouble with cooking, cleaning, or sticking to a medication regimen, as well as bathing, eating, dressing, and using the bathroom. When there is only a slight decline in one or more of these functions, the disorder is considered mild. When the decline in one of more of these functions is severe, the disorder is considered major. (Psychology Today)

Along with your medical doctor, therapy can provide support to you and your loved ones to better understand and more properly manage these types of disorders in order to establish appropriate caregiving and maintain quality of life. 

Some common neurocognitive disorders include:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Dementia
• Parkinson’s disease
• Traumatic Brain Injury