Memory loss or amnesia is a case of unusual forgetfulness. It corresponds to forgetting things, events, and memories, either being unable to recall some event in the recent past or something that happened in the past. Sometimes either one or both of them might be hard to remember. Memory loss can also occur for a short period of time and gets resolved in a small period of time. Sometimes it may not go away, and the memory can keep getting worse with growing age and passing the time. There are a number of causes of memory loss which are related to disease, growing age, injuries and personality disorders.
It is only natural at one point or another when a person forgets things such as where they kept their keys or what they had for lunch. All these things can, however, be remembered with a little effort because this phenomenon only occurs because the memory is clouded temporarily by more information. Memory loss occurs more commonly with progressing age due to the slowed and lessened release of dopamine and degeneration of cells. (Medline Plus). For memory loss to occur with aging is just as common as the loss or decline of other skills like weakness in the body, blood pressure or heart trouble. However for memory loss to occur in a natural way is different from its occurrence due to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Dementia or even brain tumor.
Extensive research has been done on memory loss in people. Usually, the word ‘dementia’ is associated with all problems related to forgetfulness or memory loss. It also refers to the problems that people face in judgment, reasoning, decision-making, language and impairment of the memory. When rendered untreated or incurable, takes other forms, worsening with time dementia leads to a lot of other troubles such as problems in interpersonal relationships, socialization, and work. Memory loss is one of the most recognizable and prominent signs of dementia. The most characteristic features of this asking the same questions repeatedly, forgetting words used in common speech, mixing up and missing words that need to be used in a common language such as saying cupboard instead of the refrigerator. Memory loss also depicts itself in the form of forgetfulness in performing tasks that a person used to be well familiar with. (Mayo Clinic.) For instance, there may be a problem in remembering the ingredients to a recipe that a person has been cooking for a long time. Misplacing things and putting them in the wrong place is also an indication of memory loss, such as putting the wallet in the refrigerator or putting a container of food in the cupboard instead of putting it in the fridge. (Medline Plus). Another common example of memory loss with age is losing track of time and place and forgetting directions while traveling or driving. A person may visit a place outside home very commonly, but they might visit the place again and suddenly forget where they are and how they got there. They can even get lost in a familiar neighborhood. Memory loss is also associated with abrupt and sudden mood changes and emotional disturbances which may not be timely and are usually unnecessary and untimely. Also, a person suffering from memory loss will find it difficult to follow directions and comprehend and remember long messages or complicated tasks. (Medline Plus).
The actual cause of memory loss is damage to the brain, the parts which are specific to memory loss and retention of information. Several diseases result in dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, Frontotemporal dementia and Lewy body dementia. All of these are progressed due to their own causes, yet their ultimate damage results in memory loss and the damage is irreparable in all of the above. The damaged areas of the brain cannot be repaired, and memory cannot be gained back. The medication or therapy given to patients with these problems can only help the life a little longer however there is yet no cure for these conditions. (Mayo Clinic.)
Other diseases and problems include brain tumor, cancer treatment, chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant. If the brain tumor lies in the area of the region where memory and learning are stored, then memory loss can occur. In fact, memory loss becomes one of the symptoms of brain tumor. Similarly, aggressive cancer treatment is one of the causes of the death of cells in the brain, or the after effects of the treatment can lead to memory loss. (Mayo Clinic.) Migraine headaches are also a common cause of memory loss. People with severe migraines can have problems remembering things and might not remember immediate events of the past. A worsened migraine would lead to more memory loss. Brain infections and diseases of the brain are also responsible for memory loss in people.
Memory loss is also sustained because of injuries such as traumatic accidents, head injuries and brain hemorrhaging. Concussions can also result in memory loss. People who sustain serious head injuries such as after a car accident, a blow to the head or a dangerous fall facing the head can incur internal bleeding in the brain. If it is not treated in time, it may cause the brain to get pressurized and swell up. If the blood is drained in time, then the chances of damage to the brain are reduced. However if the blood does not get drained or if the brain cells are deprived of oxygen for too long, then the person can suffer from brain damage and a symptom of that damage is memory loss. Also, major brain surgeries come with a high risk of memory loss or loss of personality after the operation. These are the risk factors of surgeries and while some surgeries end successfully, others may be serious enough to cause temporary and sometimes, permanent memory loss.(Mayo Clinic.)
Sometimes, memory loss can occur because of personality disorders as well. Schizophrenia, bipolar disease, depression and severe traumatic events can result in memory loss. Schizophrenics suffer from facing a distorted version of the reality around them which makes them confused and fearful all the time. This greatly affects the cognitive development and abilities, and they can negatively suffer from a weak memory where they can’t remember what they were told about something and need to be retold things from time to time. Bipolar patients also suffer from memory loss. Bipolar disease disrupts the working memory where the patients experience difficulty in processing things, retaining information and thus they have mood swings and problems in understanding things. (Medline Plus). Depression is associated with memory loss as it is one of the prime causes of the existence of health problems which then lead to memory loss. People with depression suffer from nervousness, anxiety, loss of appetite and constant stress hovering over them. The persistence of stress leads to weakening of the cells and loss of memory. Depression is also associated with sleep deprivation, which, according to studies, is one of the causes of memory loss. When the mind is not rested, and a person has not slept well, there is sufficient difficulty in staying focused and alert. When this condition persists, hallucination may begin, and if it worsens, a person may not be able to remember things properly.(Medline Plus).
Usually, memory loss has no cure. It is then up to the health caregiver and the family of the patient to help them cope with life and their condition. In order to retrieve some of the memory, they can be shown familiar objects, made to listen to audio versions of speech or take some prescribed medication for the condition diagnosed. Medical history of a patient is also important because some memory loss diseases are hereditary, and they may have a genetic disposition to the disease, which, can be found out through relevant tests.
Work Cited
Mayo Clinic. Memory Loss: When to seek help. N,p. 2016. Web. 24 Feb 2016.
Medline Plus. Memory Lose. N,p. 2016. Web. 24 Feb 2016.
