Dysexecutive syndrome impairs executive function and can be caused by brain injuries, mental health conditions, or cognitive disabilities. Symptoms include emotional, cognitive, and behavioral deficits that can worsen over time. Treatment focuses on therapy and coping skills, but severe cases may require a full-time caregiver. The Behavioral Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) can be used for diagnosis and evaluation.
Dys-executive syndrome is a neurological impairment of executive function, in which patients have problems with complex thinking and reasoning tasks. It is most commonly seen in people with brain injuries. Certain mental health conditions and cognitive disabilities can also create signs of dysexecutive syndrome. Treatment focuses on therapy and coping skills for the patient, often with the goal of helping people maintain independence for as long as possible. Eventually, the symptoms can become severe enough to require a full-time caregiver or assistant.
This condition was once known as frontal lobe syndrome, although this diagnosis has become obsolete, as researchers now know it involves multiple areas of the brain. Patients with the syndrome may experience emotional, cognitive, and behavioral deficits that may worsen over time. The rate of impairment can accelerate if patients don’t receive appropriate treatment, re-injure themselves, or have progressive neurological diseases that damage the brain more over time.
Emotionally, dysexecutive syndrome can make it difficult for people to regulate their emotions. They can develop mood swings and extremes. Some may appear self-centered or rude due to cognitive impairments associated with the condition, which can make people more outspoken because they don’t easily understand other people’s emotions. Stubbornness, a not uncommon problem with neurological conditions, may also develop as patients attempt to maintain control over their lives.
Cognitive symptoms of dysexecutive syndrome can include a set of problems, particularly with planning and reasoning. An activity such as daily showering may be beyond the patient, who cannot plan the corresponding and necessary activities, from hanging a towel to turning on the shower. It can also be difficult to troubleshoot. Communication deficits may arise, in which the patient has difficulty speaking or writing or cannot understand the communication of others. These can contribute to feelings of stress and frustration.
Patients with this condition can develop behavioral problems. They may not follow requests or orders from people around them and may become irritable or irritable. Some behavioral outbursts are related to feelings of helplessness or anger at the loss of communication and reasoning skills. As patients experience an increasing level of disability, these problems can become serious; a recalcitrant but physically healthy adult might hurt a caregiver, for example.
A test known as the Behavioral Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) can be used at the time of diagnosis to determine the number and severity of symptoms. This can serve as a useful point of reference for future medical evaluations. If the patient seems to be getting worse rapidly, this may be a sign that different approaches to therapy and treatment may be needed.
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