Behavioral and Cognitive Aspects of Dementia

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Questions and Answers

What are some common behavioral symptoms associated with the Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD)?

Common symptoms include disinhibition, loss of empathy, planning errors, impaired judgment, and compulsive behaviors.

How does Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) differ from traditional aphasia?

PPA initially affects language skills with specific variants like semantic dementia and progressive nonfluent aphasia while reading and writing may remain intact longer.

What motor symptoms might indicate a frontotemporal dementia movement disorder?

Involuntary muscle function issues, falls in early stages, and symmetry of motor signs may indicate a frontotemporal dementia movement disorder.

What is the significance of distinguishing between normal changes and hippocampal atrophy in dementia diagnosis?

Identifying hippocampal atrophy is crucial as it relates to memory deficits, while normal changes may not indicate dementia. Signup and view all the answers

Why might symptoms of bvFTD be mistaken for depression initially?

Symptoms like social withdrawal and loss of empathy can resemble depressive behaviors, leading to misdiagnosis. Signup and view all the answers

How can discussing traumatic events help reduce emotional responses in individuals?

Talking about traumatic events can reduce the activation of the amygdala, leading to a decrease in fear responses. Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of viewing frightening images on the amygdala's activity?

Viewing identifiable frightening images can lead to less activation of the amygdala, resulting in reduced fear. Signup and view all the answers

Why might judging fears as rational or irrational be unhelpful in therapy?

Judging fears doesn't alleviate the emotional experience, as perceptions of fear can vary significantly from person to person. Signup and view all the answers

What makes reading an automatic process for individuals, and why can it be difficult to turn off?

Reading becomes automatic due to practice, which makes it challenging to disengage even when desired, as we often read the ink color instead of the word itself. Signup and view all the answers

List the four essential skills one must learn before becoming proficient in reading.

The four skills are: recognizing that writing is meaningful, understanding the direction of writing, recognizing letters of the alphabet, and knowing that printed letters correspond to specific sounds. Signup and view all the answers

In what way does reading color words in conflicting ink color illustrate cognitive interference?

When asked to say the ink color instead of reading the word, individuals experience difficulty, showcasing cognitive interference. Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean when we say writing moves in a specific direction in English?

In English, writing moves from left to right. Signup and view all the answers

How do printed letters relate to specific sounds in literacy education?

Printed letters correspond to certain sounds, which is a key concept in phonics instruction for reading. Signup and view all the answers

What differentiates remembering from knowing in the context of memory?

Remembering involves recollecting the original learning incident and its context, while knowing refers to a feeling of familiarity. Signup and view all the answers

How do older adults typically perform in recognition versus recall tasks?

Older adults are generally better at recognizing an item than recalling its context. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two subtypes of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)?

The two subtypes of MCI are amnestic MCI, which primarily affects memory, and nonamnestic MCI, which impacts thinking skills and decision-making. Signup and view all the answers

What is the prevalence of Mild Cognitive Impairment in individuals over 65?

Mild Cognitive Impairment is found in approximately 10-20% of individuals over 65. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common characteristic of memory training interventions in older adults, according to the research?

Memory training interventions, such as verbal reasoning and speed training, can lead to improvements, but these gains may not transfer to other tasks. Signup and view all the answers

What are some early clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease?

Early clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease may include memory loss and difficulties with problem-solving or planning. Signup and view all the answers

How do brain changes associated with Alzheimer's Disease differ from those linked to vascular dementia?

Alzheimer's Disease is associated with specific neurodegenerative changes, while vascular dementia is typically the result of impaired blood flow to the brain. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of ruling out other causes during the diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment?

Ruling out other medical conditions and medications is significant to ensure that the cognitive changes are specifically due to MCI and not other factors. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between critical periods and sensitive periods in cognitive development?

Critical periods are specific windows of time when skills must be acquired, while sensitive periods are optimal times for development but skills can still be learned later. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of how assimilation differs from accommodation in cognitive development.

Assimilation involves integrating new experiences into existing schemas, such as recognizing a zebra as a horse, while accommodation requires altering schemas based on new information, like learning a zebra is different from a horse. Signup and view all the answers

What are Piaget's stages of cognitive development?

Piaget's stages are Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the concept of 'zone of proximal development'.

The zone of proximal development is the range of tasks that a learner can perform with guidance but not yet independently, highlighting the importance of social interaction in learning. Signup and view all the answers

What does theory of mind refer to in cognitive development?

Theory of mind is the ability to understand that others have their own beliefs, desires, and perspectives that may differ from one's own. Signup and view all the answers

How does decision making adapt through heuristics and biases?

Decision-making adapts through heuristics and biases by providing simplified approaches to problem-solving that conserve cognitive resources and time. Signup and view all the answers

What impact does the concept of sunk costs have on decision-making?

Sunk costs can lead individuals to continue investing in a project or relationship due to prior investments, despite the potential for larger losses. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the cognitive and brain changes that occur during adolescence.

During adolescence, cognitive changes include improved reasoning, problem-solving, and planning abilities, while brain changes involve the maturation of the prefrontal cortex and increased connectivity. Signup and view all the answers

What is metalinguistic insight, and how do bilinguals benefit from it?

Metalinguistic insight refers to the awareness and understanding of the structure of language, which bilinguals possess at a heightened level, enabling them to perform better on language tasks. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the role of brain areas in language acquisition when learned at different ages.

The same brain areas are utilized for early second language learners, but different areas are activated when a language is learned later in life. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the 'critical period' in language development?

The 'critical period' refers to a specific time frame in early childhood during which the brain is particularly receptive to language input, and without it, normal language development may not occur. Signup and view all the answers

How do cases like Genie and homesigners illustrate the influence of both nature and nurture on language development?

Cases like Genie showcase how deprivation of language affects development, while homesigners demonstrate the ability to create language systems despite a lack of conventional language exposure. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a critical period and a sensitive period for language acquisition?

A critical period signifies a limited time frame during which language development must occur, while a sensitive period indicates a longer timeframe where learning is optimal but can still happen later with more difficulty. Signup and view all the answers

What are the four main theories of language acquisition mentioned in the content?

The four main theories are imitation, nativist theory, social pragmatics, and general cognitive processing. Signup and view all the answers

Why does the imitation theory of language acquisition fall short in explaining language learning?

Imitation theory suggests babies learn language by repeating what they hear, but it fails to account for the generative nature of language that allows children to produce novel sentences. Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'less is more' theory in language learning?

The 'less is more' theory posits that younger learners benefit from simpler linguistic exposure, allowing them to grasp language structures more effectively than older learners. Signup and view all the answers

What does Emily's case reveal about infantile amnesia?

Emily's case suggests that some children as young as 21 to 36 months can retain specific memories, contradicting the notion that all memories are lost during early childhood. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Mobile Conjugate Reinforcement Paradigm used by Simcock and Hayne?

The Mobile Conjugate Reinforcement Paradigm involves a baseline step where a baby is exposed to a mobile, followed by a learning phase where the mobile is attached to a reinforcement, and a test phase where the mobile is not attached. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three accounts for infantile amnesia discussed in the content?

The three accounts for infantile amnesia include repression as proposed by Freud, the lack of a developed sense of self, and the immature encoding of memories in early childhood. Signup and view all the answers

What cross-cultural differences exist concerning infantile amnesia and autobiographical memory?

Cross-cultural differences may reveal that some cultures encourage reminiscence of early experiences, allowing for a richer context in autobiographical memory than cultures that discourage early memory sharing. Signup and view all the answers

What is the reminiscence bump?

The reminiscence bump refers to the phenomenon where individuals have increased recollection of autobiographical memories from their late adolescence and early adulthood, typically between ages 10 and 30. Signup and view all the answers

How does Willander and Larson's study contribute to our understanding of the reminiscence bump?

Willander and Larson's study found that specific cues, such as odors, can evoke strong memories from the reminiscence bump period, highlighting the connection between sensory experiences and memory retrieval. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the phenomenon of infantile amnesia and its typical age range.

Infantile amnesia is the tendency for individuals to lack autobiographical memories from before the age of five. Signup and view all the answers

What are some findings from the Deferred Imitation study regarding infants' memory retention?

The Deferred Imitation study showed that infants can retain memories and imitate actions after a delay, reflecting their learning and memory capabilities. Signup and view all the answers

How do reminders affect memory retention in infants according to the studies mentioned?

Reminders can significantly enhance memory retention in infants, as evidenced by memory returning to original levels after a reminder period. Signup and view all the answers

What role does repression play in the explanation of infantile amnesia according to Freud?

Repression is suggested to be a mechanism that blocks recollection of positive and neutral early childhood experiences, resulting in infantile amnesia. Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)

A group of brain disorders that affect behavior and speech, causing changes in personality and language skills.

Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD)

A type of FTD characterized by changes in personality and behavior, including disinhibition, apathy, and impaired judgment.

Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA)

A type of FTD that primarily affects language skills, leading to difficulties with speaking, understanding, and naming.

Semantic Dementia

A type of PPA where people struggle to remember the meaning of words and concepts, often using vague terms like 'thingy' or 'you know'.