Chapter 18

Parkinson disease

A chronic, progressive disease characterized by muscle tremors, slowing of movement, and partial facial paralysis.

dementia

A global term for any neurological disorder in which the primary symptoms involve a deterioration of mental functioning.

major depression

A mood disorder in which the individual is deeply unhappy, demoralized, self-derogatory, and bored. The person does not feel well, loses stamina easily, has poor appetite, and is listless and unmotivated. Major depression is so widespread that it has been called the "common cold" of mental disorders.

semantic memory

A person's knowledge about the world-including a person's fields of expertise, general academic knowledge of the sort learned in school, and "everyday knowledge".

Alzheimer disease

A progressive, irreversible brain disorder, characterized by a gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and eventually physical function.

divided attention

Concentrating on more than one activity at the same time.

wisdom

Expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgement about important matters.

selective attention

Focusing on a specific aspect of experience that is relevant while ignoring others that are irrelevant.

prospective memory

Involves remembering to do something in the future.

explicit memory

Memory of facts and experiences that individuals consciously know and can state.

implicit memory

Memory without conscious recollection; involves skills and routine procedures that are automatically performed.

multi-infarct dementia

Sporadic and progressive loss of intellectual functioning caused by repeated temporary obstruction of blood flow in cerebral arteries.

cognitive mechanics

The "hardware" of the mind, reflecting the neurophysiological architecture of the brain as developed through evolution. Cognitive mechanics involve the speed and accuracy of the processes involving sensory input, visual and motor memory, discrimination, comparison, and categorization.

source memory

The ability to remember where one learned something.

cognitive pragmatics

The culture based "software programs" of the mind. Cognitive pragmatics include reading and writing skills, language comprehension, education qualifications, professional skills and also the type of knowledge about the self and life skills that help us to master or cope with life.

episodic memory

The retention of information about the where and when of life's happenings.

sustained attention

The state of readiness to detect and respond to small changes occurring at random times in the environment.