Which cognitive decline is prominent in major or mild vascular neurocognitive disorder?

The prominence of complex attention and executive function deficits in major or mild vascular neurocognitive disorder is well-documented in the DSM-5-TR. Vascular neurocognitive disorders stem from cerebrovascular issues that affect blood flow to the brain, leading to impairments in cognitive functioning. Patients often exhibit deficits in attention—specifically, their ability to focus, sustain, or shift attention effectively. Additionally, executive function, which encompasses cognitive processes such as planning, decision-making, problem-solving, and managing complex information, is significantly impacted.

In vascular neurocognitive disorders, individuals may struggle with tasks that require organizing thoughts, reasoning through problems, or adapting to new situations, which are all crucial components of executive function. These impairments can lead to difficulties in everyday tasks, affecting both personal and professional life.

The other options, while they may exhibit cognitive decline in different contexts, do not capture the hallmark features of vascular neurocognitive disorder as effectively. For instance, memory impairment in social situations is more characteristic of neurocognitive disorders with a stronger emphasis on memory, while purely language-oriented declines and behavioral changes without cognitive loss aren’t primary indicators of vascular issues. Thus, the presence of complex attention and executive function deficits is the defining factor in identifying cognitive