Wednesday, November 2, 2011

The Critical Issue Of Memory Loss

The brain has an amazing capacity to store and then recall information later. In some cases it may be of short duration while other types of information may be able to be recalled many years later. This is an essential part of how we learn and think. However as we age, many people experience some type of memory loss. We’ll discuss some of the common causes, symptoms, and treatments for memory loss.

The most common cause for memory loss is related to age. The neural networks we have established over our lives tend to break down over time and if they are not reinforced, this can result in certain kinds of memory loss.

In addition, as people age the number of healthy brain cells tend to diminish due to overall deterioration of cellular function. For the most part brain cells do not actively reproduce so the number of cells can steadily decrease over time. This very much affects our ability to remember.

There are a number of diseases which can directly affect memory. The most common is Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. These diseases affect parts of the brain and very much affect memory function. These diseases disrupt the electrical impulses which travel from brain cell to brain cell. They also cause brain cells to die which also very much affects memory and cognitive function.

Vitamin or mineral deficiency can cause memory loss. If the brain is deprived of Vitamin D for example this can have a significant impact on brain function, especially memory. B complex vitamins are also essential for good memory and a deficiency in certain types can create memory loss.

Drugs and alcohol can play an important role in memory loss. This is especially true when these compounds are abused and taken over a long period of time.

The symptoms of memory loss should be very apparent. The person who is suffering from memory loss can have a difficult time recalling information which previously was very easy for them to do so. For example they may find that they have difficulty remembering people’s names or driving directions. If the symptoms become severe enough they can forget who they are or where they live.

The treatments for memory loss can be very broad. Certain drugs have been shown to benefit and improve memory loss. Other treatments may be as simple as enhancing certain nutrients and vitamins.

And there are a number of exercises and techniques which can used to enhance memory function. These can be in form of drills or brain training games. They help to challenge the brain and teach it to process, store and retrieve information much more effectively. There are also many promising techniques, which may help smoothen the symptoms caused by diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

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