Intellectual function

It is known that the brain is one of the most sensitive sites of action of steroids in utero, and recently there have been suggestions that EDs may affect normal brain development and behaviour. For example, it has been alleged that in utero exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl compounds (PCBs) resulted in adverse effects on neurologic and intellectual function (memory and attention) in young children born to women who had eaten PCB contaminated fish in the USA." It has also been speculated that exposure to environmental pollutants with steroidal activity may be infinencing human sexual development and sexually controlled behavioiir." ... 

Lifschitz, M.H. Wilson, G.S. Smith, E.O. and Desmond, M.M. Factors affecting head growth and intellectual function in children of drug addicts. Pedi at.ri cs 75 269-274, 1985. 

De Marco et al. 49 Paromomycin (open) 6-12 days NH3, state of consciousness, intellectual functions, behavior, neurological symptoms E Rif =E Par T Rif > Par... 

Clinical findings include mental retardation, severe metabolic acidosis, and evidence of a spastic quadripare-sis and cerebellar disease. Some patients develop normally until late childhood, when a progressive loss of intellectual function became appreciated. Patients also may manifest a mild hemolysis. Pathological changes have included atrophy of the cerebellum and lesions in the cortex and thalamus. There is no specific therapy. 

Lightheadedness, confusion, decreased intellectual functioning, syncope, and seizures can be caused by decreased cerebral blood flow. 

Conditions caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA often involve multiple organ systems. The effects of these conditions are most pronounced in organs and tissues that require a lot of energy (such as the heart, brain, and muscles). Although the health consequences of inherited mitochondrial DNA mutations vary widely, frequently observed features include muscle weakness and wasting, problems with movement, diabetes, kidney failure, heart disease, loss of intellectual functions (dementia), hearing loss, and abnormalities involving the eyes and vision. 

Mental Retardation Refers to sub-average general intellectual functioning which originated during the developmental period and is associated with impairment in adaptive behavior. 

Follow-up cognitive and MMPI testing of the subjects who received EA 3167, at 1 and 6 months (Fig. 45), showed a small residual increase in the paranoid and schizophrenic subscales at 1 month, but at 6 months the profile had essentially returned to the pre-drug values. Differences in the three validity scales that persist may be due to attitudinal factors. Scores for intellectual functions returned to pre-test values during the same period, as shown previously for EA 3443 and EA 3580. ... 

Dementia, a clinical syndrome associated with a variety of distinct pathological causes, is characterized by deterioration in multiple areas of higher intellectual function. As a result, it interferes with the ability to carry out routine daily activities. The symptoms of dementia fall into three categories intellectual (cognitive) deterioration, functional decline, and behavioral/emotional complications. 

In addition, you should perform some objective measure of the patient s intellectual functioning. The most commonly used measure is the Folstein Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE). The 30 point MMSE assesses many of the intellectual functions that might be impacted by dementia orientation to surroundings, registration of new information into memory, recall of that same information, concentration, word-finding, following directions, and visuospatial tasks. A score of 25 or lower should raise concern but early dementia is not ruled out even with higher scores. 

Before diagnosing dementia, yon shonld consider any other condition that might impair intellectual function or that might masqnerade as an impairment of intellect. The differential diagnosis of dementia inclndes ... 

Normal Aging. As we previously mentioned, most people experience noticeable changes in intellectual functioning as they age. It may become slightly more difficult to learn new information, but dementia is not part of the normal aging process. A decline that interferes with someone s ability to carry out the routine mental tasks of daily life is not normal. It is not to be expected. It is instead a sign of illness that should be investigated. 

Delirium. Delirium, the waxing and waning of consciousness and lucidity, can be difficult to distinguish from dementia. Both affect multiple areas of intellectual functioning. Both tend to affect the same groups of people, namely, the elderly and those with brain injuries. And the two are not mutually exclusive. Patients with dementia can also become delirious in fact, the brain impairment of dementia increases vulnerability to delirium. 

Gurevitz, S. and Helme, W.H. (1954) Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on personality and intellectual functioning of the schizophrenic child. / Nerv Ment Dis 120 213—226. 

Castellanos, F.X., Gulotta, G., and Rapoport, J. (1992) Superior Intellectual functioning and stimulant drug response in ADHD. Poster at May 26-29, 1992 New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit (NCDEU) meeting, Boca Raton, Florida. 

Sajatovic, M., Ramirez, L.F., Kenny, J.T., and Meltzer, H.Y. (1994) The use of clozapine in borderline-intellectual-functioning and mentally retarded schizophrenic patients. Compr Psychiatry 35 29-33. 

Alzheimer s disease is a common neurological disorder affecting approximately 20% of persons over the age of 80 years. Clinically, Alzheimer s is characterized by loss of short-term memory, impaired cognition, decline in intellectual function, and decreased abihty to carry out the activities of daily life. At the gross anatomical level, Alzheimer s... 

Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW Association of prenatal exposure to an environmental contaminant with intellectual function in childhood. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2002 40 467. [PMID 12216999]... 

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