Cognitive Problems after a Stroke

What is cognition?

A stroke can affect the way one’s brain understands, organizes and stores information. This is known as cognition. Cognitive problems are very common after a stroke. They can have an impact on the person and can also affect their family and relationships.

What are the different types of cognitive problems after a Stroke?

• Concentration: A stroke can affect the brain’s ability to screen out a lot of information coming in from the world. Concentration problems are especially common in the early stages after a stroke.
• Memory: Problems with memory after a stroke are very common especially in the first weeks or months.
• Planning and problem- solving abilities : It is also known as an executive function. Our brain performs a whole range of thinking processes, other than to take in and store information. Many of these happen without us being aware of them, known as automatic processes. Stroke affected patients often face this problem.
• Noticing things on one side: It is also known as Spatial Neglect. A stroke can damage one’s brain so that it no longer receives information from one side of your body.
• Moving or Controlling the body: A stroke can affect the ability of the brain to plan what it wants for our body to do and make sure we do it in the right order, making it difficult to move parts of our body in the way we want to. This is called apraxia.
• Movement problems due visual perception issues: The information from the eyes is used to determine the size, shape and position of the objects. The brain uses this to work out how far away they are from us and where they are in relation to other things. This helps in moving oneself in a room, for example and is known as Visual perception. After a stroke, visual perception may suffer and so the brain may not be able to perform such tasks properly.
• Confusion and denial: Sometimes after a stroke, people are not able to recognise the effect that it has on them. This is called anosognosia.
• Problems recognizing things: It is also known as Agnosia. There are two stages to recognising something. A stroke can affect both of these stages.

How can one recover from cognition?

There is no particular medication known which can cure cognition after a stroke. But there are some therapies which can help regain memory.

Some tips to recover from cognitive problems after a stroke:

• Try using a diary, day planner, calendar or notepad. Writing down appointments and creating to-do-lists can help one to remember them.
• Set alarms, reminders and memos in your mobile phone to remind throughout the day.
• Try to slow down the activities, perform step by step.
• Keep to a routine
• Limit the number of things you have to think about at any one time. Prioritize your tasks and finish one before you start another.
• Paraphrasing during a conversation can help you to remember what has been said
• Photos and pictures can help to ‘trigger’ the memory.
• Make notes of important conversations. Tell the Other Party to email you the synopsis of such a conversation so that you have another record of it.
• Use notes, lists, labels around the home as prompts.
• Get into the habit of giving clear instructions, even if it means making shorter sentences. Likewise, encourage people to speak to you as well in short sentences.
• Avoid noisy, distracting environments.
• Develop and keep to a routine as much as possible.
• Do problem solving activities. Puzzles, brain teasers, chess etc. Many mobile apps also now exist.
• Avoid tiring and stressful activities.
• Exercise.
• Listen to music.

If you have limited/No information about Stroke, its symptoms and consequences, we STRONGLY suggest you read at least one of the following before you leave this Website, as well as share the links with your friends and family. You may save someone from sudden death or being crippled for life !
* Be fast – Stroke Symptoms in English with Videos of Actual Strokes
* स्ट्रोक (आघात) – हिंदी में कुछ जानकारी
* स्ट्रोक-के-साधारण-लक्षण
* In Bengali – Be Fast – দ্রুত !
* In Gujarati – જ્યારે સ્ટ્રોક આવે ત્યારે BE FAST
* In Marathi – BE FAST स्ट्रोक होतो तेव्हा !
* In Odiya – ଷ୍ଟ୍ରୋକ: ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଅଥବା ଶାରୀରିକ/ମାନସିକ ଅସମର୍ଥ

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