Age related memory loss site

Any brain function can be disrupted by brain trauma resulting in inattention, difficulty concentrating, excessive sleepiness, faulty judgment, depression, irritability, emotional outbursts, and slowed thinking. However, memory loss is one of the most common cognitive side effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Even in mild TBI, memory loss is still very common. The more severe the victim’s memory loss after the TBI, the more significant the brain damage will most likely be.

Some TBI-related amnesia such as patients unable to recall what happened just before, during and after the head injury is temporary. Temporary memory loss is often caused by swelling of the brain in response to the damage it sustained. But because the brain is pressed against the skull, even parts that were not injured are still not able to work. The patient’s memory typically returns as the swelling goes down over a period of weeks or even months. Temporary memory loss may also be an emotional response to the stressful events surrounding a TBI.

Damage to the nerves and axons (connection between nerves) of the brain may also result in memory loss. The brain cannot heal itself like an arm or a leg, so any function that is damaged during a TBI is permanently impaired unless the brain learns how to perform that function differently. Fixed amnesia may include the loss of meanings of certain common, everyday objects or words, or a person may not remember skills he had before the TBI.

A different kind of memory loss is called anteretrograde amnesia, which is an inability to form memories of events that happened after the injury. Doctors are not sure, exactly, why this happens, but some research has shown that it may have something to do with the fact that TBI’s reduce the levels of a protein in the brain that helps the brain balance its activity. Without enough of that particular protein, the brain can easily overload and memory formation is affected.

In general, symptoms of brain injury should lessen over time as the brain heals but sometimes the symptoms worsen because the patient’s inability to adapt to the brain injury. It is not uncommon for psychological symptoms to arise and worsen after a brain injury.

At the current time, there is no treatment for memory loss following TBI; if the memory does not come back on its own, it will be lost permanently. There is a great deal of research in the field of TBI and memory loss, but, sadly, there are no cures for TBI-related amnesia at this time.

There are many factors that are regarded as causes of memory loss. The most frequent is depression. When this occurs, most of the mental processes are made with difficulty. The memory loss tends to become worse if depression is not treated. Stress is a similar cause. When people get over the events that cause stress, the memory becomes effective again.

Sometimes, memory loss is induced by medication or appears as a side effect of some drugs. Barbiturates or benzodiazepines frequently cause memory loss. In this situation, in order to regain the memory it is very important to quit that certain medication.

Alzheimer’s disease is associated with memory loss. In conclusion, this condition is also among the most frequent causes of memory loss. Also known as senile dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by various degrees of memory loss, depending on the stage. While at the beginning the person finds frequently used names with difficulty, at the end stages distinguishing family members occurs more often. Alzheimer’s disease is related to age, as most of the people who contract this disease are around 60 years old.

The causes of memory loss also include aging. However, studies have revealed that more than half of the people aged 90 to 100 years do not have great memory problems. Furthermore, some mental processes get better with age.

Severe alcoholism is between the most serious causes of memory loss. This fact is explained by the destruction of the nerves. Alcohol is known for its bad effects over the nervous system. It affects all the mental processes, not only the memory. Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may prevent memory loss.

Other causes of memory loss include strokes, seizures, head injuries, brain tumors and brain infections. A temporal lobe brain surgery may also determine memory loss. In addition, neurodegenerative illness is also one of the causes of memory loss. The synapses between the neurons are destroyed and memory is affected, among others. Shock treatments represent causes of memory loss, too. These are used when treating depression.

While some of the causes of memory loss can be prevented, others are inevitable. Furthermore, the factors can determine the speed of this process. Memory loss can appear gradually or unexpectedly. Even more, the memory loss can be permanent or temporary, depending on the causes. Prevention and even treatment can be achieved by following certain treatments. Drugs, as well as natural remedies, are effective. The products based on ginkgo biloba are very efficient.

Before proceeding to a way to prevent this condition, it is very important to know exactly what the cause of memory loss is. Most of the cases of memory loss are related to a brain injury which can occur in several ways.

Some drugs can determine memory loss by altering the neurotic network of the neurons. Especially, this is a side effect of the drugs named statins. These drugs are recommended to people who have hypercholesterolemia. However, statins only induce a short-term memory loss. Other drugs that provoke memory loss are barbiturates and benzodiazepines. In all these cases, prevention of memory loss can be accomplished by following an alternative treatment.

When this condition appears as an effect of severe alcoholism, a step that must be taken in the prevention of memory loss is to quit drinking. The alcohol causes nerve damage and this fact leads to memory loss. Also, drinking episodes may be associated to memory lapses. This substance also determines the appearance of other diseases and its addictiveness is very serious.

Safety measures are also part of prevention of memory loss. Using seat belts while driving or helmets when performing dangerous jobs or sports help people to avoid head injuries. When damage is inflicted on the head, a temporary memory loss, also known as amnesia, may occur.

Depression is among the most frequent causes of memory loss. In this situation, prevention of memory loss resumes to the treatment of the depression. People are recommended to avoid electroshocks therapy as part of this treatment, as this therapy determines memory loss, too, and may worsen the condition of the patients. One of the best ways to treat depression is the light therapy.

Besides alcohol, tobacco seems to be related to the memory loss, too. Smoking tobacco, as well as all the other tobacco products, lowers the blood flow to the brain. In addition, the overall blood pressure increases, and so does the risk to have a stroke. In this case, prevention of memory loss is done by quitting smoking. Furthermore, other stimulants that increase the blood pressure must be avoided.

Prevention of memory loss can also be achieved my following a treatment based on vitamin B12 and foliate supplements. Also, people are advised to follow a diet rich in these two substances. Scientists have developed many effective supplements based on certain nutrients. Supplements based on natural nutrients from New Zealand, for example, are effective in the prevention of memory loss, but also in memory improvement.

Memory loss affects thousands of people every year. Memory loss is often attributed to “getting older.” In reality, age-related memory loss is a fallacy. The latest scientific research indicates that memory loss is actually a direct result of decreased use of the memory centers within the brain.

At first, memory changes often appear subtle. For example, you may walk into a room and forget why you are there, or recognize someone you have met before, but can’t recall their name. Early symptoms of memory loss may progress to more significant memory loss. The good news is that the latest documented research indicates that specific areas of the brain, primarily the temporal lobes, can be activated to improve memory.

Anatomically, the brain is comprised of a right and a left cortex. Each cortex contains an area called the temporal lobe. The temporal lobes are responsible for retaining specific types of short- and long-term memory. For example, the left temporal lobe is most related to remembering word lists, processing verbal language, and recalling language spoken in a monotone voice. The right temporal lobe is affiliated with remembering familiar events as well as processing non-verbal information. The right temporal lobe will house memory such as voice-intonated (singing) memory. If one portion of the brain isn’t working at its maximum, memory as well as other functions of the temporal lobe may be affected. This would also include one’s ability to smell and hear.

Fortunately, the temporal lobes can be directly stimulated to improve memory. One treatment modality used to improve memory is olfactory stimulation (smelling different smells such at peppermint or cloves). Olfactory stimulation in one or both nostrils will directly stimulate the temporal lobe (more specifically, the hippocampus). Auditory stimulation in one ear or visual stimulation on one side can also improve temporal lobe plasticity (function). Looking at familiar faces will stimulate the left amygdala area deep in the temporal lobe, while looking at unfamiliar faces will stimulate the right amygdala area. Other modalities which may be used to increase global brain function include T.E.N.S., word searches, mazes, looking at big letters made of small letters, or viewing familiar or unfamiliar faces.

Classification of memory loss can be made using many criteria. Depending on the duration, the types of memory loss are permanent and temporary memory loss. When a certain type of memory is affected, the memory loss can be classified as either short-term memory loss or long-term memory loss. The condition may develop gradually or may appear suddenly. All these types of memory loss are conditioned by certain factors.

Global amnesia is one of the most frequent types of memory loss. It is characterized by inability to recall things that are stored in the long-term memory. However, patients who suffer from amnesia do not present any problems related to the short-term memory. Furthermore, amnesiacs can remember semantic memories.

As a proof of this fact, people who suffer from amnesia still know the meanings of the words and information about the general world. This certain type of amnesia is usually provoked by damage inflicted on the medial temporal lobes. Also, it can appear if the diencephalon or the basal forebrain is affected. The main causes are represented by infections of the brain and by cerebrovascular accidents. Global amnesia is one of the permanent types of memory loss.

A classification of memory loss can also be made after observing the rate of forgetting. This rate depends on the certain part of the brain that is damaged. As many studies have shown, people with medial temporal lobe damage lose memory faster than the diencephalic patients.

Organic amnesia is one of the memory loss types that appear as a result of a brain lesion. It can be found in one or more of the four possible situations. Anterograde amnesia refers to the incapacity to recall events that happen after memory loss is installed. Retrograde amnesia is the term used when people cannot remember events that have happened before the appearance of memory loss. In the third situation, the intelligence is kept, while in the fourth situation the short-term memory is good. When all these four situations occur simultaneously, people are called global amnesics.

Mild cognitive impairment refers to all the subtle, yet measurable memory conditions. Dementia represents an alteration of the mental processes. Memory is affected in most of the cases of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a specific type of dementia which features memory loss always. Vascular dementia is determined by repeated strokes. All these types of memory disorder may provoke a particular type of memory loss.

There are many types of memory loss, it could be natural as our bodies aged, or it could be due to external man-made factors.

“Age-Associated Memory Impairment” is a normal process of memory loss that is the result of age. Human organs degenerate with age. On average, memory loss can start as early as 45 years old, a 35% loss as compared to a 25 year old can be expected. This is absolutely unrelated to Alzheimer Disease development, the process slow and steady with age.

Then of course, there are examples of people who have always been forgetful all their lives. That is a unique case of how some parts of the memory sticks to each individual. This would not memory loss and so will not be part in this discussion today.

There are other causes of memory loss in older people: some medications, stress, depression, heart disease, not drinking enough water, not eating nutritiously and certain medical problems. Diabetes, for example, is associated with memory loss among people with type 2 diabetes over age 65. “It’s almost as if diabetes speeds up the normal process of brain aging,” writes Crook.

External factors aiding in memory loss would be long term medication, stress or depression, heart problems, not drinking enough or eating well and chronical medical problems. A good example would be Diabetes; clinical studies had shown that it would eat up the memory at twice the normal speed due to poor blood sugar regulation.

Losing memory is inevitable but we can try to slow down the process. The crux is keeping the brain healthy. If we maintain a healthy body by exercising, eating well and resting enough, we do the same for our brain too!

Exercising the brain means stimulating it. Think constantly, absorbing new knowledge; both activities increase the blood flow to the brain and may even witness new cells growing. Have a good healthy diet can improve sluggishness. It is a myth that older people do not need as much sleep as youths. Lack of sleep affects remembering and stress affects sleep in the long run. It is a vicious cycle so finding ways to lower the level of stress will help you sleep and that should help you focus and improve the memory.

There are many issues one can face when they have been diagnosed with diabetes. One of the most frustrating is memory loss. Memory loss can occur in most people as they age. But sometimes, memory loss can be due to circulatory problems and hormonal changes in the body. When this happens, one may feel inadequate and insecure.

To prevent memory loss when a person has diabetes, one should change their diet to include foods with fiber, protein, and calcium that will stimulate blood flow and also help replace some of the nutrients lost. Exercise will also promote blood flow.

Stimulating the brain by reading, solving crossword puzzles, and finding new hobbies are ways to keep the brain alert. Many times, it is the short term memory that will be affected. By stimulating the brain, one can minimize the damage that may be caused. Since memory loss can also be caused by other diseases, it is important to have a check up yearly to determine if diabetes is present.

Memory loss is one effect of diabetes that can be improved when diabetes is detected in its early stages. Although diabetes is a life long illness, this does not mean that a person has to suffer from all of the side effects that could occur. Memory loss can occur at any time during one’s life. While a person may be upset, they should not worry too much about it. By altering one’s lifestyle and staying busy both physically and mentally, one will be able to lead a long, healthy life.