Dorothy FarrarMemory disorders (memory lapses)
Disorders of memory performance can spoil the joy and the ability to cope with everyday life. The memory disorders or memory gaps represent an independent health impairment and are also symptoms of natural limitations and existing diseases.
What are memory disorders?
The brain is the most important memory function. If memory disorders occur, stored memories or other data such as acquired knowledge may no longer be available.
Memory disorders or memory gaps can occur in the three typical areas of memory. In the case of memory disorders, these affect the short or long-term memory as well as the working memory, the explicit and the implicit memory.
Memory disorders not only unsettle those affected. The memory disorders contribute to the development of fears and, depending on the severity and extent, can lead to extreme limitations. In the vernacular, memory disorders are often referred to as forgetfulness. In medicine, memory disorders are so-called mnestic disorders or dysmnesia.
causes
The memory disorders can be caused by different causes in the form of quantitative, qualitative or selective limitations as well as memory gaps.Selective memory impairment is caused by a condition known as temporal lobe epilepsy and some dementia diseases such as Alzheimer’s dementia. Quantitative memory disorders usually arise as a result of natural aging of the brain tissue and amnesia . These are justified in the case of memory disorders caused by migraine attacks , injuries to the skull and brain, meningitis or concussion, as well as by individual medications (e.g. sleeping pills).
If qualitative memory disorders occur, these can be attributed to excessive demands and stress. Disorders associated with memory impairment also include brain tumors , sleep apnea, ADHD and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease .
As a result of impending memory disorders, a complete loss of memory performance occurs in the further course of dementia. In the later period, the sick people no longer notice themselves that memory disorders are occurring and play around them with artificial and artificial communication.
Diseases
When to the doctor?
Minor memory lapses are considered normal. Missing memories are not always accessible for various reasons. In most cases they come back after some time. Distorted memories are also normal. Memories change over the course of life in the case of biographical events or acquired knowledge. If they are not called up for a long time, they are completely absent.
Memory disorders increase in particularly stressful and hectic phases of life. Lack of sleep leads to memory lapses. These situations can usually be overcome or changed without a doctor. If it doesn’t work, consult a doctor.
Of concern are memory lapses, in which elementary life-critical memories are missing. They include events such as your own wedding or the birth of your own child. In these cases, more detailed investigations must be carried out. If the memory disorders lead to a loss of knowledge about personal data such as name or address, a doctor must also be consulted.
If there are memory lapses about procedural knowledge such as tying shoelaces or using everyday objects, a doctor’s visit is necessary. The reason for regularly occurring memory problems should be checked by a doctor as well as memory gaps spanning a period of several days or weeks. If there are additional disorientation or disturbances of consciousness, a doctor’s visit is necessary immediately.
diagnosis and course
Diagnosing memory disorders is not easy because the time span between the onset of the prospective performance limitations and the pronounced memory disorders is difficult to determine. The neurological and psychiatric departments are primarily concerned with the diagnosis of memory disorders. Individual methods are available to them with which memory disorders can be detected. These procedures relate to two aspects – memory span and working memory. Typical examination methods are interviews and filling out special questionnaires.
Distinctive hallmarks of memory impairment are problems remembering, finding words, or interpreting the current date and time of day. As the memory disorders progress, those affected complain of difficulties in being able to orientate themselves in an unfamiliar environment and in carrying out simple, habitual activities. Other symptoms of memory impairment include not recognizing people and losing memory. Of course, memory disorders can only be clearly understood in the complex of various diagnostic procedures. In this context, discussions with close relatives, caregivers and treated general practitioners are also useful.
complications
Memory disorders or memory lapses are not always a cause for concern. They occur from time to time in people of all ages and are usually harmless. However, many older people in particular develop the fear that they are suffering from dementia when they have memory lapses. However, this only applies if the short-term memory decreases permanently, orientation problems occur, the affected person gets lost more often and the personality changes increasingly.
One form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. The disease continues to progress until those affected can no longer get by without outside help. People with dementia therefore need constant care. However, pathological memory disorders do not only occur in dementia. In the event of unusual physical and mental stress, complete amnesia can occur in all age groups, but this often does not last long. The people affected temporarily lose almost all of their short-term memory and no longer know where they are and how they got there.
Sometimes there is a serious illness behind it, such as epilepsy, concussion, brain tumor or stroke . Memory disorders also occur as complications of Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis. A special form of the pathological memory disorder is the so-called Wernicke-Korsakov syndrome , which can occur in severe alcoholism, vitamin B1 deficiency and other pronounced deficiency states. Those affected can hardly remember new information, tell made-up stories and have disorientation.
treatment and therapy
Conventional medicine as well as various alternative and naturopathic methods can be used to treat existing memory disorders. Unfortunately, measures aimed directly at the therapy of memory disorders are rather rare.
In the foreground in the therapeutic support of people who suffer from memory disorders are the different medications and the so-called memory training.The tratment options for memory disorders are summarized under the term neuropsychological therapy.
The individual treatment phases depend on the stages of memory loss and the associated limitations.
For example, learning books and memory aids in the form of notes and books are recommended to patients. Furthermore, the creation of visual images, special sentence structures and known words are used in the treatment of memory disorders. These are intended to close existing memory gaps.
Drugs that increase blood flow to the brain and influence neurotransmitters have a supporting effect in the treatment of memory disorders .
Classic pharmacological substances are donepezil and methylphenidate. Rivastigmine and substances from the group of cholinesterase inhibitors are also prescribed for the treatment of memory disorders.
outlook and prognosis
There is no general prognosis for the different forms of memory disorders. If they occur immediately after experiencing a traumatic event, they are considered repairable under certain circumstances. There is a possibility that after the experience has been processed, the memories may partially or completely return. With tissue damage to the brain and injury to the cortical cortex, the memory impairments are irreparable. The memory loss is usually lifelong.
In most cases, memory disorders have a progressive course. In chronic diseases, brain damage increases and cannot be regenerated. However, the current state of science allows the course of the increase to be delayed by means of targeted therapeutic methods in coordination with drug treatment. For this, the timely recognition of the existing fault is essential.
If the brain is concussed, there is a good chance of permanent relief and healing of the disorders. It is usually a swelling of the tissue below the top of the skull, which disappears within a few weeks with sufficient rest. With targeted memory training, disorders after illnesses such as a heart attack or stroke can be minimized. The therapy lasts several months and years. Complete healing, however, occurs only in very rare cases.
prevention
Since the memory disorders are closely related to dementia diseases, prophylaxis can be implemented in this regard. If memory disorders are caused by sudden causes, prevention is not possible. The prevention of memory disorders is based on several pillars, which support a certain holistic approach. In addition to physical exercise, the component known as mental alertness is important.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.