Deck 15: Cognitive Disorders

Question 1

The three categories of cognitive disorders are

A) delirium, dementia, and amnestic disorders.
B) delirium, dementia, and Alzheimer's.
C) Alzheimer's, delirium, and amnestic disorders.
D) Alzheimer's, organic, and amnestic disorders.

Answer 1

delirium, dementia, and amnestic disorders.

Question 2

The symptoms of delirium tend to subside

A) very slowly, over the course of several years.
B) relatively quickly, over the course of a few days or weeks.
C) moderately slowly, over the course of several months.
D) very slowly, if they ever subside at all.

Answer 2

relatively quickly, over the course of a few days or weeks.

Question 3

Delirium,dementia,and amnestic disorders typically develop

A) from complications of birth.
B) as part of the normal aging process.
C) in late adulthood.
D) as temporary conditions.

Answer 3

in late adulthood.

Question 4

Which of the following groups is likely to show delirium?

A) Older adults
B) AIDS patients
C) Cancer patients
D) All of these

Question 5

From the following choices,the age group most likely to use prescription medications is _________.

A) infants and young children
B) children and adolescents
C) middle-aged adults
D) older adults

Question 6

Delirium is generally treated with __________________.

A) antibiotic medication
B) benzodiazepine medication
C) antidepressant medication
D) a treatment based on the specific cause of the delirium

Question 7

In DSM-IV-TR,the organic mental disorders are relabeled as cognitive disorders because

A) almost all disorders involve brain dysfunction.
B) delirium and dementia involve cognitive symptoms while the other disorders don't.
C) delirium and dementia occur primarily in the very young.
D) both a and b

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a typical cause of delirium?

A) Poison
B) Drug use
C) Infections
D) Diet

Question 9

The term "organic mental disorders" is no longer used to describe cognitive disorders because

A) there is nothing "organic" about these disorders.
B) cognitive disorders are actually thought disorders.
C) the term implies that there is no effective treatment.
D) most psychological disorders have an "organic" component.

Question 10

The cause of most cognitive disorders is ______________.

A) the normal process of aging
B) brain dysfunction
C) alcohol/substances
D) medication side effects

Question 11

Cognitive disorders typically cause impairment in all of the following primary abilities EXCEPT ______________.

A) memory
B) perception
C) dreaming
D) attention

Question 12

The symptoms of delirium tend to develop

A) very slowly, over the course of several years.
B) very quickly, over the course of a few hours to a few days.
C) moderately slowly, over the course of several months.
D) either very quickly or very slowly, depending on the cause.

Question 13

Impaired consciousness and cognition during the course of several hours or days defines _______________.

A) delirium
B) dementia
C) Alzheimer's disease
D) amnestic disorder

Question 14

All of the following are common causes of delirium EXCEPT _____________.

A) medical conditions
B) medication side effects
C) head trauma
D) dietary factors

Question 15

Mr.Smith (age 72)is brought to the hospital emergency room.His son explains that his father woke up this morning and was "not himself." Mr.Smith appears confused,agitated,and a bit frightened.He does not know his own name and cannot recognize his son.Mr.Smith's son reports that his father had been completely fine with no symptoms prior to that morning.Mr.Smith appears to be suffering from ______________.

A) dementia
B) Alzheimer's
C) delirium
D) amnestic disorder

Question 16

Cognitive disorders are often associated with changes in _____________.

A) behavior and personality
B) anxiety and depression
C) paranoia
D) all of the above

Question 17

Among the elderly,delirium

A) occurs because drugs are eliminated from their system quickly.
B) accounts for a significant number of falls.
C) is rarely caused by improper medication use.
D) is easily attributed to a limited number of causes.

Question 18

Delirium brought on by withdrawal from alcohol or other drugs is generally treated with

A) rest and reassurance.
B) antipsychotic medication.
C) antidepressant medication.
D) restraining the patient until the withdrawal symptoms are over.

Question 19

Which of the following individuals is MOST likely to develop delirium?

A) Joe (age 76) takes multiple medications for various medical conditions. Two new medications have just been prescribed for him, and he has already made a mistake taking the first dose.
B) Jean (age 89) is in good physical and mental health. This morning, she has a little bit of a head cold, but has not yet taken any medication for it.
C) Mark (age 12) woke up with a low-grade fever from the viral infection that has been going around his class this past week.
D) Sarah (age 40) was in a minor car accident but claims to feel fine.

Question 20

Substance-related delirium is a major problem for the elderly because

A) they are more likely to take many medications.
B) their bodies are less able to process and eliminate drugs.
C) improper use of medication is likely to have serious side effects.
D) all of the above

Question 21

All of the following are types of dementia EXCEPT

A) vascular dementia.
B) substance-induced persisting dementia.
C) cognitive dementia.
D) dementia not otherwise specified.

Question 22

The prevalence of dementia in adults between the ages of 65 and 74 is ____________.

A) .5%
B) 1%
C) 3%
D) 5%

Question 23

Which of the following statements about dementia is FALSE?

A) Globally, one new case of dementia is identified every 30 seconds.
B) Worldwide, the cost of dementia is about $315 billion per year.
C) More than 50% of the cases are of the Alzheimer's type.
D) The rate of new cases doubles with every 5 years of age after age 75.

Question 24

The most common cause of dementia is ______________.

A) a history of substance abuse
B) Alzheimer's disease
C) improper use of prescription drugs
D) syphilis

Question 25

People with dementia generally suffer from agnosia,which is defined as the inability to _________.

A) use language
B) understand language
C) recognize and name objects
D) remember events and places

Question 26

Which of the following is TRUE of dementia?

A) The number of new cases per year is decreasing.
B) More men than women have dementia.
C) The financial costs of dementia are decreasing
D) Dementia rates are increasing as people live longer.

Question 27

The definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is made based on ______________.

A) cognitive testing
B) brain scans
C) autopsy results
D) behavioral analysis

Question 28

When a person has dementia,he or she may also experience delusions,depression,agitation,aggression,and/or apathy,all of which are due to

A) progressive deterioration of brain functioning.
B) frustration experienced by these patients as they lose their cognitive abilities.
C) neither of these
D) both of these

Question 29

In the United States,the cost of caring for patients with Alzheimer's type dementia is estimated to be about _______ .

A) $100 thousand
B) $100 million
C) $100 billion
D) $100 trillion

Question 30

The outcome for patients with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease is usually

A) death.
B) slow recovery.
C) stabilization at some level of greatly reduced cognitive ability.
D) dependent on individual response to treatment.

Question 31

One major difference that is useful in the diagnosis of dementia or delirium is that

A) dementia symptoms develop slowly over time, and delirium symptoms develop quickly.
B) dementia symptoms are usually associated with underlying medical conditions, and delirium is usually the result of other factors.
C) the initial symptoms of dementia are generally more severe than the symptoms of delirium.
D) the symptoms of dementia involve memory, but the symptoms of delirium are more likely to involve expressive language.

Question 32

The gradual deterioration of brain functioning that affects judgment,memory,language,and other cognitive processes is called _______________.

A) dementia
B) delirium
C) amnestic disorder
D) mental retardation

Question 33

One of the early signs of dementia is

A) loss of memory for recent events.
B) loss of memory for events from long ago.
C) inability to produce language.
D) inability to understand language.

Question 34

The inability to recognize objects is called _____________.

A) agnosia
B) alexia
C) anhedonia
D) apraxia

Question 35

One of the major differences between dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease and dementia caused by depression is that Alzheimer's type dementia

A) is generally reversible.
B) is not reversible.
C) involves a slow increase in symptoms.
D) leads to a rapid decline in abilities.

Question 36

At the age of 50,Debra has begun to receive quite a bit of teasing from her family about being "absentminded." The truth is that Debra has been hiding the fact that each week she seems to remember less and less.For the last month,she has been getting lost while driving home from work.Lately,Debra has been relying on a hand-drawn map to get home.She has started having trouble recognizing the faces of people at work and frequently forgets why she started to do something.Debra appears to be developing __________________.

A) delirium
B) amnestic disorder
C) dementia
D) medically induced dementia

Question 37

All of the following are possible causes of dementia EXCEPT _________________.

A) Alzheimer's disease
B) chemical substances (including medications)
C) infectious diseases
D) food additives and preservatives

Question 38

What is MOST successful in assisting people who are susceptible to delirium?

A) Psychosocial approach
B) Preventive efforts such as patient counseling
C) Antipsychotic medications
D) Rest and reassurance

Question 39

Typical psychosocial intervention for a patient with delirium includes

A) restraining the patient to prevent self-harm.
B) placing the person in a new environment.
C) reassurance and surrounding with familiar belongings.
D) excluding the patient from any medical decision to avoid increased anxiety.

Question 40

The prevalence of dementia in adults over the age of 85 is ___________.

A) 1% to 5%
B) 10% to 15%
C) 20% to 40%
D) more than 50%

Question 41

Higher levels of education and Alzheimer's disease are associated with

A) the prevention of the disease.
B) a delay in the onset of symptoms.
C) a slow course of deterioration once it starts.
D) the rapid onset of symptoms.

Question 42

According to the most recent research,which of the following statements is TRUE concerning ethnic background and the development of Alzheimer's type of dementia?

A) Japanese, Nigerian, and Amish have lower rate of prevalence of the disorder.
B) Alzheimer's disease is found in roughly the same numbers across all ethnic groups.
C) Educated European ethnic groups have a lower rate of getting the disease.
D) Native Americans have a slightly higher rate of the disorder.

Question 43

Although the sample size is small,the results of a study that looked at the writings of a group of Catholic nuns (Massie et al.,1996),suggest that the development of Alzheimer's type dementia might be predicted in early life by analyzing the __________ present in an individual's writing.

A) errors
B) word usage
C) idea density
D) emotional tone

Question 44

The progression of Alzheimer's type dementia is

A) slow during early stages and late stages, and rapid during middle stages.
B) rapid during early and late stages, and slow during middle stages.
C) slow and progressive throughout the individual's life.
D) slow in the early stages and rapid during late stages.

Question 45

In regard to dementia,the cognitive reserve hypothesis suggests that

A) skills acquired through formal education help compensate for the early symptoms of dementia.
B) the more synapses one develops throughout life, the more neuronal death required before the person becomes impaired.
C) individuals with Alzheimer's type dementia never had reserve neurons.
D) Alzheimer's type dementia is caused by a lack of formal education.

Question 46

Research suggests that Alzheimer's disease accounts for about _____of the cases of dementia.

A) 15%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 75%

Question 47

If the findings from the study regarding the writings of a group of Catholic nuns (Massie et al.,1996)are correct,which of the following individuals is most likely to eventually develop Alzheimer's type dementia?

A) John, whose writing is very descriptive and a bit bizarre.
B) Mary, whose writing has many religious themes.
C) Maureen, whose writing is mostly about animals.
D) Lisa, whose writing describes events in very brief terms.

Question 48

The progress of cognitive deterioration in Alzheimer's disease is most rapid during the _____ stages of the disease.

A) early
B) middle
C) late
D) advanced

Question 49

Which of the following statements is TRUE about vascular dementia?

A) The prevalence rate is 25% for those over age 80.
B) The risk for women is slightly higher than men.
C) The outcome is similar to that of Alzheimer's disease.
D) The onset is about the same as for Alzheimer's disease.

Question 50

What is the biological version of the theory that states that formal education helps insulate people from the effects of Alzheimer's type dementia?

A) Mind-body hypothesis
B) Neuronal network theory
C) Cognitive reserve hypothesis
D) Cortical activity theory

Question 51

One hypothesis to explain the observed differences in the rate of Alzheimer's type dementia for individuals of varying educational level is that

A) the abilities acquired through formal education help compensate for some of the deficits of the disorder.
B) the type of mental activity associated with formal education places an additional burden on the brain that makes symptoms worse once a person has the disorder.
C) knowledge acquired through formal education helps one avoid exposure to environmental stimuli that might influence the disorder.
D) the type of work that most college graduates pursue is less likely to expose the individual to the stressors associated with the disorder.

Question 52

What is the approximate average survival time of a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer's type dementia?

A) 4 years
B) 8 years
C) 15 years
D) 20 years

Question 53

Alzheimer's type dementia is characterized by

A) multiple cognitive deficits that develop gradually and steadily.
B) a few severe cognitive deficits that develop gradually and steadily.
C) multiple cognitive deficits that develop quickly.
D) a few severe cognitive deficits that develop quickly.

Question 54

Which of the following is used for a definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's type dementia?

A) Psychological testing
B) A mental status exam
C) Reported observations of the patient by family members
D) None of the above

Question 55

Symptoms of Alzheimer's type dementia typically appear between the ages of ___________.

A) 40 and 50
B) 50 and 60
C) 60 and 70
D) 70 and 80

Question 56

In the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease,a phenomenon called "sundowner syndrome" occurs in which cognitive disturbances tend to

A) improve as the day goes on.
B) become worse toward evening.
C) come and go during the course of the day.
D) peak around mid-day.

Question 57

Which of the following individuals has the greatest risk of developing Alzheimer's type dementia?

A) Paul, who is wealthy and well educated.
B) Rena, who completed college although she has an average IQ.
C) Jason, who is extremely bright but never finished college.
D) Carrie, who dropped out of school when she was very young.

Question 58

How is Alzheimer's type dementia usually diagnosed?

A) MRI findings
B) Brain biopsy
C) Functional brain scan
D) Simplified mental status exam

Question 59

Which of the following statements is TRUE with regard to the rate of Alzheimer's type dementia for different demographic groups?

A) Males and certain racial groups appear to have lower rates of the disorder.
B) No differences are found in the rate of Alzheimer's type dementia by gender, but some racial differences have been noted.
C) No differences are found in the rate of Alzheimer's type dementia by race, but women appear to have a higher rate of the disorder than men.
D) No differences in the rate of the disorder by race or gender have been noted.

Question 60

The theory that the more synapses a person develops,the more neurons must die before the signs of dementia are apparent is called the ___________________.

A) cognitive reserve hypothesis
B) synaptic deterioration hypothesis
C) oversight theory
D) genetic hypothesis

Question 61

The differing patterns of impairment associated with Alzheimer's type dementia and HIV-caused dementia are primarily attributable to

A) the different areas of the brain affected.
B) the immune response to the virus in HIV patients.
C) psychosocial differences in the lives of the typical patients with each disorder.
D) unexplained causes.

Question 62

A key difference between vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease is ____________.

A) rate of onset
B) prevalence
C) gender distribution
D) all of the above

Question 63

If Jane's dementia is caused by a process that has damaged her brain's dopamine pathways,it can be assumed that this condition is caused by __________________.

A) head trauma
B) Parkinson's disease
C) Huntington's disease
D) Alzheimer's type dementia

Question 64

When symptoms of dementia occur with substance dependence,they are generally associated with

A) toxic effects of the substances.
B) temporary impairment in brain functioning.
C) permanent brain damage.
D) poor diet and self-care behaviors.

Question 65

All of the following are causes of dementia EXCEPT _________.

A) HIV
B) vitamin B12 deficiency
C) pneumonia
D) head trauma

Question 66

Sixty-year-old Fred has the typical early symptoms of dementia.The fact that he has abnormalities in walking and weakness in his limbs suggests that his dementia is ____________.

A) the Alzheimer's type
B) influenced by a medication
C) due to multiple influences
D) the vascular type

Question 67

Dementia caused by HIV appears to be due to ______________.

A) the HIV infection itself
B) side effects of medications used to treat HIV
C) opportunistic infections that occur in HIV patients
D) chemical imbalances in the brain

Question 68

The dementia experienced by HIV patients primarily affects areas of the brain in the ___________.

A) cortex
B) hindbrain
C) subcortex
D) brain stem

Question 69

Why are the symptoms of vascular dementia so different in each patient?

A) It is not known why patients with vascular dementia have different symptoms.
B) The symptoms relate to the area of the brain damaged.
C) The symptoms depend upon the person's other medical conditions.
D) Patients tend to be elderly and easily confused.

Question 70

Only some of the patients diagnosed with ______________ and _____________ go on to develop dementia.

A) Alzheimer's; Huntington's disease
B) Pick's disease; Huntington's disease
C) Huntington's disease; Parkinson's disease
D) Parkinson's disease; Pick's disease

Question 71

Dementia due to HIV is more likely to cause ___________ than Alzheimer's type dementia.

A) death
B) short-term memory loss
C) long-term memory loss
D) severe depression

Question 72

In contrast to patients with Alzheimer's type dementia,patients with vascular dementia are more likely to have symptoms such as

A) abnormalities in walking or muscle weakness during early stages.
B) abnormalities in walking or muscle weakness during late stages.
C) memory impairment during the early stages.
D) memory impairment during the late stages.

Question 73

Parkinson's disease is associated with __________________.

A) subcortical dementia
B) aphasia
C) delirium
D) hearing loss

Question 74

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the different types of dementia?

A) All forms of dementia have the same onset, symptoms, and course.
B) Vascular dementia has a more rapid, onset and patients suffer a much more rapid demise that with the other forms of dementia.
C) Vascular dementia has a more rapid onset and results in fewer deficits than Alzheimer's type dementia.
D) Vascular dementia has a more rapid onset than Alzheimer's type dementia, although the course and outcome are similar.

Question 75

The disorder that causes a form of dementia called Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease is a variant of

A) Huntington's disease.
B) Pick's disease.
C) Alzheimer's type dementia.
D) Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Question 76

Compared to most disorders,Huntington's disease is very unusual because it is

A) the result of one gene.
B) influenced by many genes.
C) always a cause of dementia.
D) associated with subcortical impairment.

Question 77

The symptoms of dementia associated with substance dependence are most similar to the symptoms observed in _______________.

A) vascular dementia
B) Alzheimer's type dementia
C) Huntington's disease
D) HIV-induced dementia

Question 78

The risk of developing vascular dementia is

A) greater for women than men.
B) greater for men than women.
C) equal for men and women.
D) greater for men in Western cultures, but equal for men and women in other cultures.

Question 79

There are fewer studies on vascular dementia because

A) it is less serious than Alzheimer's.
B) of its lower incidence rates.
C) its cause is clear.
D) none of the above

Question 80

The introduction of new medications for AIDS (e.g.,HAARTs)has _________ the percentage of patients who develop dementia.

A) increased
B) decreased
C) eliminated
D) had no effect on