Delirium
Alternative names:
acute brain syndrome; acute confusional state
Symptoms:
- attention disturbance (disrupted or wandering attention)
- inability to maintain goal directed, purposeful thinking or behavior
- inability to concentrate
- disorganized thinking, evidenced by
- incoherent speech
- inability to stop speech patterns or behaviors
- disorientation to time or place
- changes in sensation and perception (increases the disorientation)
- altered level of consciousness or awareness
- altered sleep patterns, drowsiness
- alertness may vary, usually more alert in the morning, less alert at night (see drowsiness)
- decrease in short-term memory and recall
- unable to recall events since onset of delirium (anterograde amnesia)
- unable to recall past events (retrograde amnesia)
- changes in motor activities, movement (for example, may be lethargic or slow moving)
- movements triggered by changes in the nervous system (psychomotor restlessness)
- emotional or personality changes
Signs and tests:
Neurologic examination may reveal abnormalities, including abnormal reflexes and abnormal levels of normal reflexes. Psychologic studies and tests of sensation, cognitive function, and motor function may be abnormal.
The specific lesion, extent of damage, and cause of delirium may be indicated by the results of tests and procedures, including, but not limited to:
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