Week 6 Psych Study Guide - Neurocognitive, Substance Use, and Childhood Disorders

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from the Week 6 Psych Study Guide covering neurocognitive disorders, substance use, withdrawal medications, and childhood neurodevelopmental disorders.

Delirium

An acute, reversible neurocognitive state characterized by rapid onset, altered and rapidly fluctuating level of consciousness, fluctuating symptoms worse at night and early morning, unstable vital signs, and perceptual disturbances like hallucinations and illusions causing fear, panic, or anger.

Dementia (NCD)

A slow, chronic, and permanent neurocognitive disorder with unchanged level of consciousness and stable vital signs, characterized by gradual cognitive decline, aphasia, agnosia, apraxia, and poor executive function.

Confabulation

A defense mechanism used in dementia where the client makes up stories to fill memory gaps, which is not intentional lying and serves to protect self-esteem.

Perseveration

A defense mechanism in dementia characterized by repeating phrases or behaviors to avoid answering questions.

Cholinesterase Inhibitors

Medications such as donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine used for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease that raise acetylcholine levels; key considerations include N/V/D, bradycardia, syncope, and avoiding use in asthma or COPD due to bronchoconstriction.

Memantine

An NMDA antagonist used for moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease that blocks glutamate and calcium entry, with potential side effects including dizziness, headache, confusion, and constipation.

Confusion Assessment Method (CAM)

A standardized screening tool specifically used to screen for delirium.

Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)

A cognitive assessment tool scored out of $30$, where scores of $24\text{--}30$ indicate normal cognition, $18\text{--}23$ indicate mild impairment, and $0\text{--}17$ indicate severe impairment.

CAGE-AID

A standardized screening tool for substance use where a single 'yes' response indicates the need for further testing.

Flumazenil

An intravenous antidote used specifically for benzodiazepine toxicity; barbiturates have no antidote.

Opioid Intoxication

Substance intoxication characterized by pinpoint pupils, slurred speech, and respiratory depression, which is the primary cause of death.

Naloxone

An antidote administered via nasal spray or IV routes to reverse opioid intoxication and respiratory depression.

Delirium Tremens (DTs)

A severe, potentially fatal alcohol withdrawal syndrome occurring at $2\text{--}3$ days after cessation, characterized by hallucinations, severe HTN, and dysrhythmias.

Varenicline

A smoking cessation medication that blocks nicotine's reward; contraindicated in pilots, truckers, and air traffic controllers, requiring monitoring of blood pressure, blood glucose in diabetics, and mood changes or suicidal ideation.

Disulfiram

Aversion therapy for alcohol abstinence where any alcohol exposure triggers acetaldehyde syndrome (N/V, sweating, hypotension; can be fatal); requires monitoring LFTs and wearing a medical alert bracelet.

Naltrexone

A pure opioid antagonist used for alcohol abstinence to cut cravings; nurses must check for current opioid use prior to administration.

Acamprosate

An oral medication taken TID for alcohol abstinence that reduces dysphoria, anxiety, and restlessness; causes diarrhea and must be avoided in pregnancy.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

An impulse control disorder characterized by defiance toward authority, argumentativeness, and refusal to accept blame, typically worst at home toward the person best known.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED)

An impulse control disorder characterized by aggressive overreactions to normal events followed by shame and regret; benzodiazepines are strictly contraindicated.

Conduct Disorder

An impulse control disorder involving violations of others' rights through aggression to people and animals, property destruction, theft, and serious rule breaking.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)

A childhood disorder marked by severe temper outbursts out of proportion to the situation occurring $3+$ times per week in $2+$ settings, with persistent irritability between outbursts and onset between ages $6\text{--}18$.

Psychostimulants (ADHD)

ADHD medications (such as methylphenidate, amphetamines, and lisdexamfetamine) administered $30\text{--}45\text{ min}$ before meals with the last dose by $1600$; require tracking height and weight due to risk of growth suppression.

Clonidine (in Opioid Withdrawal)

A medication that treats autonomic symptoms (N/V/D) in opioid withdrawal, but does not treat drug cravings.

Dyslexia

A specific learning disorder characterized by impairment in reading performance well below age and intelligence expectations.

Dysgraphia

A specific learning disorder characterized by impairment in writing ability.

Dyscalculia

A specific learning disorder characterized by impairment in mathematics performance.