Cognitive disorders are a category of
mental health disorders that primarily affect learning, memory, perception, and problem solving, and include
amnesia,
dementia, and
delirium. While
anxiety disorders,
mood disorders, and
psychotic disorders can also have an effect on cognitive and memory functions, the
DSM-IV-TR does not consider these cognitive disorders, because loss of cognitive function is not the primary (causal) symptom. Causes vary between the different types of disorders but most include damage to the memory portions of the brain. Treatments depend on how the disorder is caused. Medication and therapies are the most common treatments; however, for some types of disorders such as certain types of amnesia, treatments can suppress the symptoms but there is currently no cure.