The brain is a vital organ of behavior in the human body and helps in carrying our various functions related to memory and thought patterns. A number of psychological problems can arise due to various damages or defects in the brain tissue. These conditions are known as cognitive disorders and comprise of dementia, delirium, learning disorders and mental retardation. Relevant information is processed in the memory bank of the brain and any damage to it can impair effective thoughts, feelings and behavior.

When anatomical deficits in the brain present before birth occur at an early age, mental retardation may occur. Its severity depends to a large extent on the enormity of the condition. Certain individuals who carry on the prenatal brain damage may experience normal mental development in most parts of behavior but tend to suffer from specific cognitive or motor problems such as learning disorders or spasticity.

Sometimes, the brain remains damaged even after the completion of normal biological development. Impairment in the psychological functioning of the brain is often caused by injury, disease or exposure to toxic substances resulting in the death of neurons that are the main components of the brain and are responsible for the transmission of information. Behavior resulting after such damage is highly impaired, maladaptive and can also be insane. Cognitive disorders can be extremely debilitating and can interfere with the normal functioning of the individual at social, personal and professional levels.

Consequences of cognitive disorders:

Memory impairment: Individuals with this feature often have trouble remembering recent events. They may be able to recall incidents of the remote past. Some individuals might even fabricate memories to fill in the gaps. In severe cases, no new experiences can be preserved for more than a while.

Difficulties with orientation: The person is unable to recall himself/herself in various aspects related to time, space as well as relation to other individuals.

Destruction of memory, judgment and comprehension: The thought pattern becomes foggy, sluggish and inaccurate and the person may lose the ability to plan or to understand various concepts. Many a times he/she is unable to extract even the simplest of information.

Difficulties in emotional control or modulation: The individual exhibits emotional over reactivity and easy arousal to laughter, tears, rage and other extreme emotions.