Table 3.

Functional limitations associated with impairment in different cognitive domains

Cognitive domain	Examples of changes in everyday activities
Complex attention	Normal tasks take longer, especially when there are competing stimuli; easily distracted; tasks need to be simplified; difficulty holding information in mind to do mental calculations or dial a phone number
Executive functioning	Difficulty with multi-stage tasks, planning, organizing, multi-tasking, following directions, keeping up with shifting conversations
Learning and memory	Difficulty recalling recent events, repeating self, misplacing objects, losing track of actions already performed, increasing reliance on lists, reminders
Language	Word-finding difficulty, use of general phrases or wrong words, grammatical errors, difficulty with comprehension of others’ language or written material
Perceptual-motor/visuospatial function	Getting lost in familiar places, more use of notes and maps, difficulty using familiar tools and appliances
Social cognition	Disinhibition or apathy, loss of empathy, inappropriate behavior, loss of judgment

Adapted from: American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric Association; 2013