A decrease in the ability to work productively mentally, a violation of the process of forming skills, as well as difficulty remembering if necessary, is not the norm even for older people. Similar manifestations are characteristic of the class of cognitive disorders. However, these violations affect not only the intellectual sphere, but also the emotional behavior of a person. How exactly, and what can be done about it, read on.
For the most part, cognitive impairment is not a serious illness of infants who have suffered from oxygen deprivation, but illness of adults. Traditionally, there are two classes of reasons that cause such violations. Firstly, these are physical disorders in the central nervous system (this is the case of sick babies and the elderly), in which the conditions of the functioning of the brain change. Secondly, these are disorders associated with more invisible reasons: changes in the psyche.
It should only be remembered that cognitive disorders occur not only in the case of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Even “ordinary” depression can provoke a deterioration in a person’s ability to concentrate and do work. This disease makes a person think that his ability has decreased. Without directly affecting higher functions, emotional disorders worsen indicators of intellectual endurance and a person’s ability to adequately evaluate work results. And this leads to the fact that a person simply does not undertake anything, worrying that he is incapable. And the reason is in disorders of the emotional sphere.
Let's talk about more serious diseases. Take schizophrenia. When it violates the following functions: thinking, attention and control of behavior. However, some experts believe that serious disorders in severe patients are also associated with traditional antipsychotics. Minor cognitive impairment occurs in patients before the onset of the disease, so you cannot associate all the problems with taking medications. On the other hand, atypical antipsychotics (risperidone, olanzapine) even allow patients to work intellectually in some cases. It is not known to what extent this can be explained by the effect on the causes of the disease, and to what extent - by the fact that the drugs do not have an effect similar to the effect of traditional drugs.
In bipolar disorder, the nature of the disorder depends on what phase the patient is in. Being in the depressive phase in this respect affects patients as much as classic depression, but in the manic phase the picture is different: a person’s problems are connected with the fact that he thinks quickly, thoughts move from one topic to another, criticism is violated. Which, combined with the characteristic emotional arousal, makes the work of the sick person unproductive. Violations pass when the episode of the underlying disease ends. Therefore, traditional treatment regimens here are quite functional.
But back to the first class of reasons. As you remember, these are physical disorders in the body. Can they be reversed? Sometimes it is possible, but the person’s motivation to change something and willingness to work should be expressed. Long before the world champion received this title, doctors predicted the inevitable mental degradation due to general bodily illness. And he opposed this - and became the winner in the intellectual sphere.
In general, modern experts believe that the separation of the brain and body is the wrong approach. Their functions are closely intertwined. How to improve brain function through exposure to the body can be found in Mark Hyman’s Brain Feedback. Even scrolling through it will make sure that many cognitive disorders do not exist on their own. They are associated with disorders in the body and begin with the body. Doctors call them somatopsychic disorders. And they are quite widespread, because there are very few healthy somatic people.
A lot of people look for manifestations of various diseases in themselves, only hearing about them. However, even more people are not seeking help when they are actually faced with conditions such as cognitive impairment. It is better to relate to the first category and be too vigilant, and therefore, if you suspect, go to a general practitioner who is worthy of trust. Lifestyle changes will be required, but the results will be worth the effort.