Memory is considered one of the many phenomena that is still not fully understood. Each of us is familiar with situations when you forget your keys to the house, a scheduled meeting flies out of your head, etc. Everyone has small memory lapses, but if they happen too often, there is reason to think. This may be a symptom of a serious illness. Memory loss is seen in both young and old people. The second option is more common and popular. Unfortunately, close relatives and friends of older people often do not attach due importance to memory lapses.
Memory loss: what is it called and what is it?
Four processes can be distinguished into which memory is divided: memorization, preservation, reproduction and forgetting. In this article, we will talk about the last of them. In medicine, memory loss is called amnesia. There are two main types: partial and complete. The first option is a completely normal situation, because every person is prone to forgetting something insignificant. As for the second kind, it represents the loss of memories completely. However, it should be noted that amnesia in this form is treatable.
Memory loss occurs mainly in the elderly. Close people need to make every effort to protect their friend or relative aged from such an ailment. Even if there are no obvious reasons for unrest, it is still worth carefully monitoring the situation. As you know, everything happens from small to big: from forgetting what you did two days ago to complete amnesia.
A short-term form of memory loss
Short-term memory loss is common among old people. It is characterized by the loss of vivid memories of events that occurred several days or months ago. This syndrome lasts for a couple of minutes, it cannot last for years.
The causes of this disease can be head injuries, medication, infectious diseases. Sometimes short-term memory loss occurs when trying to lose weight through hunger strikes and strict diets. For older people, the most common source of the problem is medication. Experts in the field of medicine call this syndrome "forgetfulness of the elderly." This can be cured with certain medicines, proper nutrition and some tips to improve brain function.
Sharp-type amnesia
This type of memory loss is very similar to the previous one. It is observed most often in older people, manifested by the fact that there is a rapid deviation from the intended goal. The simplest example: a person goes to the kitchen for water, and on the way he forgets what he wanted to do. Severe amnesia occursand in young people. This is due to a malfunction in the functioning of the brain. From a medical point of view, a reaction occurs, similar to a mini-stroke, and the previous activity suffers from this.
Among the causes of such an ailment, one can single out a sharp rise from a sitting position and other similar actions. Memory loss in the elderly has more serious consequences. Therefore, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. The doctor will prescribe drugs aimed at improving vascular activity, which will benefit the old people.
Sudden amnesia
Here we will talk about the loss of memories, which can lead to death. This refers to cases where people leave the house to shop, and then cannot find their way back due to forgetfulness. Unfortunately, modern medicine has not yet fully studied this phenomenon, so the question remains open.
Those who have experienced sudden memory loss cannot remember their name or any other data from their past. The danger of this type of amnesia lies in the impossibility of determining the sources of the disease. It turns out that no one is immune from such a phenomenon, even all preventive measures in the world will not help. Of course, there are cases when memories are completely lost due to a head injury or an infection, but most situations cannot be rationally explained. Such patients often go missing, and if they are found, it is very difficult to determine anything. Close relatives are only rarely announced, which is whythe problem becomes even more serious.
Sclerosis: what is it?
Many people equate amnesia with senile sclerosis, but this is wrong. Multiple sclerosis is a complete disease in which part of the brain cells die. This development of events is associated with the accumulation of cholesterol plaques in the vessels, which interferes with the blood circulation process. Sclerosis in rare cases attacks young people, but the elderly are more affected. Let's see why:
- Blood supply is disturbed a priori. It is logical that when the body ages, the vessels also age, losing their elasticity. Sclerosis in such situations is manifested by insomnia and irritability.
- Cell recovery is slow. With age, the regeneration process slows down significantly, and renewal is necessary for normal life.
- Degradation of the processes occurring in the body. As you know, the brain transmits impulses to nerve cells, in older people this function works worse, due to which mental and motor activity decreases.
Causes of amnesia
To determine the severity of the disease, it is necessary to study the sources. The causes of memory loss are often:
- chronic illnesses of any nature, severe blows and severe head injuries;
- brain disorders, destruction of nerve cells, disorders;
- insomnia, sedentary lifestyle, metabolic disorders in the body;
- defeats leading topoor circulation, depression and stress, bouts of chronic fatigue;
- lethargy or overexcitation, malnutrition.
Amnesia sometimes occurs due to excessive thoughtfulness and distracted attention. Young people should carefully study their behavior in order to get rid of all preconditions. You may experience memory loss after a major shock, such as a car or plane crash.
Signs
The loss of memories can act as a full-fledged disease that has its own causes and symptoms. We have reviewed the sources, now let's talk about the signs:
- a person does not fulfill the promise due to forgetfulness;
- often there is carelessness in doing business;
- absent-mindedness, speech disturbances appear;
- irritability for no apparent reason, the person himself cannot explain why he is so angry;
- sometimes you can track the change in handwriting;
- Chronic fatigue, rapid fatigue, constant bad mood, not caused by any factors.
Memory loss disease, accompanied by these symptoms, can develop in a person aged 40-50 years. If you notice such signs in your loved one, you should consult a doctor for treatment. Elderly people in any case should undergo therapy, regardless of the manifestations of the disease.
Diagnosis
Before prescribing therapy, the attending physician must conduct a study in order to identify the disease. Diagnostics involvesdetermination of the nature of amnesia, which in the future will give a complete picture for the restoration of memory processes. The most effective laboratory measures for determining the diagnosis are: EEG, computed tomography, biochemical complete blood count, duplex scanning, etc.
The attending physician prescribes a specific procedure depending on the situation. Basically, there is a study of the brain, and all its processes. Based on the results of the study, the doctor makes a diagnosis. Then the method of treatment is selected, and therapy is prescribed. It is not recommended to recover on your own, because taking certain medications will only aggravate the situation, possibly provoking a stroke or heart attack.
How to treat memory loss?
It depends primarily on the nature of the problem. There are at least two types of therapy in this situation: medical and psychological. First, consider the first option.
Partial memory loss is treated with the following drugs:
- "Trental" will improve the process of blood circulation in the brain;
- "Piracetam" and "Actovegin" are aimed at preventing the destruction of neurons (these are the cells of the nervous system that transmit information from the brain);
- "Glycine" is used to improve memory function.
A number of other seemingly similar remedies differ in their contraindications and side effects. It is for this reason that it is forbidden to engage inself-medication.
Psychotherapy
Psychological treatment involves the restoration of the brain system with the help of classes with professionals. The most effective is complex therapy, which includes both medications and communication with psychologists. Defectologists, psychotherapists quite often limit themselves to solving riddles and puzzles, board games. Such simple ways help to activate brain activity, which will sooner or later lead to a positive result.
If there is a severe case, specialists use hypnosuggestive therapy. Hypnosis allows a person to recall many moments from life. But such treatment should only be carried out by a professional, because there is a chance of aggravating the situation.
Daily routine
How to treat memory loss in the elderly? It is not recommended to send them to special medical institutions, this will only worsen the situation. An older person will recover faster in the circle of people close to him. On the part of relatives, it is necessary to provide:
- old man sleep at least 9 hours a day, and maybe more, depending on age;
- calm atmosphere in the house: forget about quarrels and disputes, it is advisable not to raise your voice when talking;
- attention: sometimes a small conversation is enough for an elderly person, it is better to spend as much time as possible with him (play, walk, watch TV, etc.);
- fresh air: every day you need to walk with the old man, at least an hour, preferably twice a day;
- moderatephysical activity: here we mean morning exercises, if it’s hard for an elderly person, do gymnastics together.
The key word in the last factor is moderate. In no case should overload be allowed, this will worsen the general condition of a person. Exercises and the number of their performances will be prescribed by the attending physician after the examination.
Prevention
It is impossible to completely prevent the disease. The only thing that can be done is to slow the progression of the disease through preventive measures. Already at the age of 20, the process of death of brain cells begins in a person. However, this is not a sentence, when the right actions are performed, other cells with the functions of the destroyed ones will be repurposed.
Such processes occur due to a number of factors:
- reading, no matter what kind of literature: be it fiction, historical or non-fiction;
- getting new skills, including singing, dancing, sewing, etc.;
- learning foreign languages;
- solving puzzles, crosswords and crosswords, it slows down the process of memory loss by an average of three years;
- active life with constant communication.
In addition to the preventive measures described above, it is necessary to exclude the impact of negative factors. This includes alcohol and smoking. In addition, follow the daily routine: keep 8 hours of daily sleep, eat right, you need to diversify the diet with vegetables and fruits.
