Higher Mental Function Assesment.pptx

This is a brief overview of various aspects of the higher mental functions. Namely
memory
orientation
attention
communication
perception
executive functioning
these needs to be assessed using screening and categorizing tools such as MMSE and MoCa

1. HIGHER MENTAL FUNCTIONS Dr. Susan Jose (PT)

2. Why asses them first? They can significantly affect the results obtained by the motor and sensory examinations.

3. What are the higher mental functions? Higher brain functions are the operations of the brain that stand at the pinnacle of evolution and are largely unique to humans . The higher-order capacities of the human brain can be captured under the terms “ cognition ” and “behavior.” Cognition is composed of orientation,attention , memory,communication,executive functions (judgment, planning, and decision-making) and complex perception .

4. Orientation Orientation is the ability to understand and to adjust oneself with regard to time, location, and identity of persons. Time Place Person- identify oneself and others.

5. Attention Attention is the directing of consciousness to a person, thing, perception, or thought. Selective attention- ability to select relevant sensory information about both the task and the environment while screening out irrelevant information. Sustained attention - how long the patient is able to maintain attention on a particular task Alternating attention- to alternate back and forth between two different tasks Divided attention - perform two tasks simultaneously.

6. Memory Memory is the process of registration, retention, and recall of past experience, knowledge, and ideas. Explicit memory is stored in the medial temporal lobe and hippocampus .

7. Memory dysfunctions AMNESIA ANTEROGRADE AMNESIA inability to learn information after a brain insult. RETROGRADE AMNESIA inability to acquire information before the occurrence of a brain insult. DELIRIUM (acute confusional state) immediate memory and STM is affected.

8. Communication Ability of the person to understand language and to produce speech shall be assessed. WORD-COMPREHENSION - ability to understand spoken and written language. FLUENCY- Meaningfulness of the produced speech to be assessed. Flow of the words to assessed. REPETATION

9. Perception Perception is integration of sensations into information that is psychologically meaningful.

10. Which part of the brain is responsible?

11. How do you assess? Quick screening tool: MMSE

12. Interpretation: ≤ 24 indicative of cognitive impairment MILD 21-24 MODERATE 20-10 SEVERE ≤ 9

13. OTHER TOOLS: MoCA

14. REFERENCES: Physical rehabilitation 6 th edition Susan o’Sullivan . Neuroscience in medicine, 2nd ed. (P. Michael conn, ed.), © 2003 human press inc., Totowa, nj .

15. THANKYOU