====== Delirium ====== >Over 2.6 million adults over the age of 65 develop delirium each year in the United States (US). Delirium is associated with a significant increase in mortality and the US health care costs associated with delirium are estimated at over $164 billion annually. __Despite the prevalence of the condition, the molecular pathophysiology of delirium remains unexplained, limiting the development of pharmacotherapies."__\\ \\ Source : [[https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/19418744231207925|The Neurohospitalist, Volume 14, Issue 2]]{{:oa_padlock_red.png?16}} [ paywalled ] //Delirium// (a.k.a. //encephalopathy//, //acute confusional state//, //acute brain dysfunction//, //acute brain failure//, and// altered mental status) //is an extremely widespread disturbance of [[content:psychology:general:consciousness]] which has been recognized for millennia. It has been defined as : * A. Disturbance in attention and awareness. This is a required symptom and involves easy distraction, inability to maintain attentional focus, and varying levels of alertness. * B. Onset is acute (from hours to days), representing a change from baseline mentation and often with fluctuations throughout the day * C. At least one additional cognitive disturbance (in memory, orientation, language, visuospatial ability, or perception) * D. The disturbances (criteria A and C) are not better explained by another neurocognitive disorder * E. There is evidence that the disturbances above are a "direct physiological consequence" of another medical condition, substance intoxication or withdrawal, toxin, or various combinations of causes As the research paper cited above points out, although it's well known that a very wide range of factors can lead to delirious states (drugs, stress, fever, dementia, lack of oxygen, shock etc. etc.) the specific neurological mechanisms which initiate and maintain the state are unknown. ---- Also see : [[content:medicine:diseases:m-q:pocd]] and [[content:psychology:general:dreaming]]