What are cognitive-communicative disorders?

The term “cognitive-communicative disorder” is quite broad and refers to a range of restrictions to cognition
C o g n i t i v e - c o m m u n i c at i v e
and language resulting from damage to or deterioration of regions of the brain that govern cognition.
Restrictions may be noticed in some combination of an individual’s declining ability to maintain sustained
attention, lapses in memory, a reduced verbal reasoning and problem solving skills, or impaired executive
functioning such as goal setting, initiation and planning. These disorders can impact the accuracy, efficiency
and effectiveness in communication.

Causes of cognitive-communicative disorders include, but are not limited to:

 Stroke
 Traumatic Brain Injury
 Aging
 Brain Tumors
 Neurological Disorders and Disease
 Birth defects
disorders

 Medication Effect
 Alcohol and/or Drug Abuse

RIGHT HEMISPHERE Injury

Though the right hemisphere is not the “language dominant” side of the brain for most people, individuals who
suffer damage to the right hemisphere, such as a right cerebral vascular accident, may experience deficits that
negatively impact their communicative abilities. Examples include:

 Visual Field Neglect and Visual/Perceptual Disorders;  Difficulty using and understanding contextual cues;

 Inattention and Impulsivity;  Difficulty using and understanding figurative language;

 Inability to use or understand prosody (intonation)
 Inability to differentiate necessary and irrelevant information
changes that express emotion, sarcasm, humor;

Treatments for such disorders vary based on the underlying cause and will be based on the type and severity of
the disorder. In some cases, as the body heals, rehabilitation is possible. In other cases, training in compensato-
ry strategies can be provided to optimize safety and functional independence in familiar environments. Often,
therapy targeting a combination of rehabilitation and implementation of compensatory strategies is most benefi-
cial and successful. In order to optimize the success of strategies chosen by the therapist, is important for care-
givers to be aware of and involved in the therapy choices and activities designed for a loved-one suffering from a
cognitive-communicative disorder.

RESOURCES
Brain Injury Association of America—http://www.biausa.org/
Alzheimer’s Association—http://www.alz.org/
American Stroke Association—http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/
National Stroke Association—http://www.stroke.org/site/PageNavigator/HOME
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke—http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/
dementias/org_dementia.htm
World Stroke Organization—http://www.world-stroke.org/

Cog-Com KWS 2012