Mental defect

Mental defect , defective (negative-beer) conditions - caused by the painful process of loss of certain mental functions due to dissociation (disintegration of integrative activity) of the central nervous system. In the framework of a mental defect resulting from the organic lesion of the central nervous system, brain trauma, encephalopathy, intoxication, atrophic and vascular processes, pronounced changes in the psyche can occur, up to a different degree of dementia and even disintegration of the person (marasmus).

Partial (dysmnestic) dementia is characterized by a weakening of memory, with the events of recent days, newly acquired knowledge falling out first and foremost, and only then disappearing from the memory of the events of the distant past. Amnestic disorders are combined with emotional incontinence, tearfulness, weak-willedness. Memory disorders can reach the degree of amnestic disorientation (patients can not find their home, do not recognize friends and even relatives). The emergence of such violations is usually accompanied by a significant decrease in criticism, emotional decline, increasing callousness, grumpiness, irritability.

Total (paralytic) dementia is determined by a gross decrease in all forms of cognitive activity, a leveling of individual personality traits, weakness of judgments, persistent euphoria. The behavior is inadequate to the situation; Patients are uncritical, often commit ridiculous actions.

Disintegration of the person (marasmus) is manifested by the loss of contacts with the surrounding, untidiness, voracity in combination with cachexia. Patients are helpless, riveted to bed.

Along with the described gross changes, the psyche is distinguished by mild forms of negative changes. Their initial manifestations include mental asthenia, psychopathic changes. With a decrease in the level of personality, along with increased fatigue and symptoms of irritable weakness, general decrease in mental activity, narrowing of the range of interests, gradual leveling of individual characterological properties are also noted. For a mental defect in schizophrenia and epilepsy, see the sections on these diseases; About congenital dementia, see Oligophrenia.