Cognition Lab
Deva Institute of Healthcare & Research Pvt. Ltd. was established in 1972. The institute addresses primarily neuropsychiatric illnesses in both adult and child and adolescent population. The focus is especially on the identification and management of the mental illnesses in their active phase through outpatient and inpatient care. The idea of neurocognitive lab came into the mind of institute to see the increasing rate of cognitive decline or impairment among the population of adult, geriatric, child and adolescents, and people with general medical conditions. So the institute planned to develop the neurocognitive lab for extending the services for best, qualitative, and effective cognitive care of affected population. The institute has decided to establish a unit for “neurocognition” which is known as Deva Cognition Lab.
What is Cognition?
A suite of interrelated conscious (and unconscious) mental activities, including: pre-attentional sensory gating; attention; learning and memory; problem solving, planning, reasoning and judgment; understanding, knowing and representing; creativity, intuition and insight; ‘spontaneous’ thought; introspection; as well as mental time travel, self-awareness and meta-cognition (thinking and knowledge about cognition).
Some facts about congnition :
- Cognitive abilities change with age
- Cognitive abilities peak in 30s, and plateau through 50s, 60s
- Slow decline in cognitive abilities typical for late 70s
- Cognitive skills are different from academic skills
- Cognitive skills are the mental capabilities or underlying skills you need to process and learn information, to think, remember, read, understand and solve problems.
- Cognitive skills develop and change over time.
- We are born with certain cognitive capabilities – we may be better at some skills than others, but we can improve the weaker skills.
- Cognitive skills can be measured.
- Cognitive skills can be strengthened and improved.
- When cognitive skills are strong, learning becomes easier.
Cognitive impairment: The major health concern
Cognitive impairment is when a person has trouble remembering, learning new things, concentrating, or making decisions that affect their everyday life. Cognitive impairment ranges from mild to severe.
What are the signs to look for?
People who have cognitive problem with/without psychiatric disorders, medical conditions or others often experience problems in the following aspects of cognition:
- Confusion and naming confusion
- Difficult to pay attention
- Inability to remember and recall information
- Difficult to process information quickly
- Difficult to respond to information quickly
- Inability to initiate speech
- Poor motor coordination
- Loss of short term memory
- Identity confusion
- Impaired judgment
- Problems with thinking & communication
- Difficulty in understanding or memory.
- Ability to think critically, plan, and organize and problem solve
- Poor word finding difficulty
What causes cognitive impairment?
There are many causes of cognitive impairment. Some causes of short-term or reversible cognitive impairment include:
- Infections
- Vitamin deficiency
- Dehydration
- Reactions to medications
- Many more
Some causes of long-term or permanent cognitive impairment include:
- Dementia
- Stroke
- Brain injury
- Seizure disorders
- Childhood trauma
- Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar affective disorders, OCD, somatization, ADHD, substance and alcohol dependence, borderline personality disorder, and neurocognitive disorders
Cognitive Problems among child and adolescents
Cognitive decline in adolescence is most likely to manifest as underachievement or failure at school. Although some neurodegenerative diseases can have predominantly cognitive or psychiatric initial presentations, this is rare, and a number of much more likely considerations apply to the situation where new academic concerns arise in the absence of neurological signs.
Conditions that affect cognition among child and adolescents
- Childhood trauma
- Traumatic brain injury during childhood
- Cerebral Palsy
- Seizure disorders
- Early onset of psychiatric illnesses
What is assessment content?
Assessments consist of reliable, valid, and standardized objective paper-pencil, mechanical, and computerized tests that quantify neurocognitive deficits.
How do we overcome?
- Pharmacological intervention
- Evidence based non-pharmacological interventions
A. Remedial techniques
- Cognitive exercise or training
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
- Neurofeedback Training (NFT)
- Brain Function Therapy (BFT)
B. Mind-body techniques:
- Yoga & Mindful meditation
- Jacobson Progressive Muscles Relaxation (JPMR)
C. Termination is appropriate when a mutual decision has been made that problems have been resolved.
Appointment
Treatment is usually scheduled on a weekly or bi-weekly basis for a 45 to 60 minutes appointment. People can take appointment about 2 days ago on office contact numbers.
Free Structures
Deva cognition lab’s philosophy is to deliver the best professional care to its patients in a calm and comfortable environment at affordable rates and packages.
Working Days
The lab usually runs Monday to Friday, 5 days a week, 9.00 AM to 6.00 PM. But registration is closed by 4.00 pm. It is closed on the declared guzzeted holidays.
Dietory intervention
Duration of treatment
The length of treatment will be determined by their therapists. Brief treatment is considered to be from 1 to 3 months, and long-term treatment from four months to one year or longer.