Environmental dependency syndrome

Environmental dependency syndrome (pronounced: en-vi-ron-men-tal de-pen-den-cy syn-drome) is a neurological disorder characterized by an individual's excessive reliance on environmental cues for action. This syndrome is often associated with brain injury or neurological disease.

Etymology

The term "Environmental dependency syndrome" is derived from the nature of the condition itself. The word "environmental" refers to the surroundings or conditions in which a person lives or operates. "Dependency" is derived from the Latin word 'dependere', which means 'to hang from' or 'to rely on'. "Syndrome" comes from the Greek word 'syndromē', which means 'concurrence of symptoms' or 'a running together'.

Symptoms

The primary symptom of environmental dependency syndrome is an excessive reliance on environmental cues. This can manifest in a variety of ways, such as an inability to initiate or complete tasks without specific prompts or cues, or a tendency to use objects inappropriately due to their presence in the environment. Other symptoms may include impulsivity, disinhibition, and perseveration.

Causes

Environmental dependency syndrome is often associated with damage to the frontal lobes of the brain, particularly the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This can occur due to a variety of causes, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain tumor, or neurodegenerative disease.

Treatment

Treatment for environmental dependency syndrome typically involves cognitive rehabilitation therapy, which aims to improve cognitive function and promote independence. This may include strategies to reduce reliance on environmental cues, such as task analysis, cueing hierarchies, and environmental modifications.

Related Terms

• Neurological disorder
• Brain injury
• Neurological disease
• Impulsivity
• Disinhibition
• Perseveration
• Frontal lobes
• Stroke
• Traumatic brain injury
• Brain tumor
• Neurodegenerative disease
• Cognitive rehabilitation therapy

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Environmental dependency syndrome
• Wikipedia's article - Environmental dependency syndrome

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