Memory disorders: why memory becomes poor, normal and connection with diseases, treatment. Memory impairment

Doctor of Medical Sciences K. UMANSKY (Denver, USA).

Doctor of Medical Sciences K. G. Umansky is a long-time author of our magazine. Konstantin Grigorievich, who now lives in the USA, is glad to meet his readers.

Areas of the brain responsible for memory.

In Alzheimer's disease, glomeruli of altered neurons and plaques of amyloid, a protein-carbohydrate complex, are visible under a microscope.

Often, especially from older people, you can hear: “I forgot again. Damn sclerosis! Younger people usually say this as a joke. Older people tend to be concerned about their forgetfulness. Where can you go?

Is memory deterioration really an inevitable process? And what is sclerosis?

Who doesn’t know that over time, blood vessels undergo age-related changes. And not only the vessels of the brain, but also of all other organs and tissues: their walls become rigid and lose elasticity. These changes are called sclerotic. However, it never occurs to any of us to diagnose ourselves with vascular sclerosis of the liver, pancreas or other organs.

Age-related memory impairments in healthy people are often imaginary. They are almost always associated with the appearance of absent-mindedness and a decrease in the ability to concentrate for a long time. Of course, with age, various kinds of disorders may appear due to narrowing of the lumen of the vessel, or even in the form of pinpoint hemorrhages in different areas of the brain. The effect of such disorders on memory largely depends on the location. But more often than not, even such, sometimes quite severe, vascular lesions do not lead to memory impairment. There are many examples of this. Thus, the greatest scientist, founder of microbiology, author of great discoveries of the late 19th century, Louis Pasteur, who lived 73 years filled with continuous creativity, at an early age, due to vascular damage, practically lost an entire hemisphere of his brain. However, his memory and performance did not suffer from this.

I happened to observe a young man with excellent memory and intelligence who suddenly died from a cerebral hemorrhage. An autopsy revealed that he had a very rare congenital cerebrovascular disease. They looked like fragile tubes, like dry pasta, that broke with a crunch when bent.

Various diseases often lead to a decrease in memory function, not only of the brain, but also of other organs, almost any. Many factors play a role here, due to both metabolic processes and constant preoccupation with some kind of suffering. But there are other memory destroyers. For example, Israeli biologist M. Aranson in 2001 published research results showing that hours of watching television impairs memory and increases the risk of dementia. According to him, deafening music can also have the same effect.

It is not so rare to encounter specific diseases accompanied by amnesia - memory loss (from the Greek a - denial, mneme - memory), partial or complete, temporary or permanent. I will not dwell on psychogenic conditions and diseases that sometimes lead to such disorders. This is the field of psychiatry, which observes similar disorders in schizophrenia, epilepsy and other diseases of various origins, as well as in some forms of senile dementia.

Amnesia varies in its manifestations. In some cases, a person remembers exclusively what happened before the disease, in others he does not remember anything or partially remembers what preceded the disease, for example, an injury. The latter type of amnesia is called retrograde and is one of the common signs that determine the severity of a concussion, for example, in a car accident. In other cases, well-known facts and information are distorted in memory. There is another severe type of amnesia, in which the patient suddenly forgets his entire past life and who he is, including his passport details. Such conditions can occur after severe physical or mental trauma, intoxication, and even for no apparent reason, when a thorough examination of the brain does not reveal any abnormalities. The mechanism of this pathology is still unknown. Treatment in these cases rarely gives favorable results. But sometimes a spontaneous “enlightenment” suddenly occurs and the patient remembers almost everything.

There are diseases of a different kind in which loss of memory and intelligence is caused by special, specific processes due to systemic lesions of the brain. They are characterized by a condition designated by the general concept of “progressive dementia” (from the Latin dementia - madness).

In the current, eighth year of the 21st century, it is worth looking back, especially at the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, at the turning point in the creative existence of mankind. It was at this time, when the globe was diligently entangled in networks of railways and telephone lines, radios and airplanes, tanks and rapid-fire weapons were invented, people learned about the existence of bacteria, viruses and much more. At the same time, there was a rapid development of medicine, and in particular neuropathology, which improved research methods.

Over the past century and a half, the average human life expectancy has increased significantly. Perhaps it’s worth dwelling on this in a little more detail.

The lifespan of a caveman did not exceed 20 years. In ancient Rome, people lived on average a little longer than 25 years. By the middle of the 19th century, the average life expectancy of people, estimated at 80% of the population, reached 37 years. From then to our time, in just a century and a half, it has increased in developed countries to 70 years, that is, it has almost doubled. And that is why, until the second half of the 19th century, many diseases that developed after 45-50 years were practically not observed. Their descriptions cannot be found not only in the great Greek physician Hippocrates, who lived 400 years BC, but also in the no less great Avicenna, who lived about 1000 years ago, as well as in the European Paracelsus, who lived in the 16th century.

Only from the second half of the 19th century did doctors begin to identify diseases that appeared mainly in older and older people. Then, to the many already known lesions of the nervous system, researchers added a number of new ones, which were very rare, in which, for reasons still unknown, certain parts of the nervous system suddenly begin to spontaneously degenerate, that is, collapse. At the border of the 19th-20th centuries, many clinically similar, but morphologically different, that is, different in their structure, diseases of the nervous system with an inevitable tragic outcome are described. About two dozen of them are known: Schilder's disease - Foix, Pierre Marie, Kaltenbach and others. They are very rare, approximately 1-10 patients per million inhabitants.

The best known is Alzheimer's disease (see Science and Life No. 3, 1992). She is the one who is most popular right now. Let us remember the history of its first description. Almost a hundred years ago, in 1906, Alois Alzheimer first described the results of a study of the brain of a 55-year-old woman who died after five years of suffering from severe, progressive dementia.

For a long time, this disease quietly coexisted with many other progressive lesions of the nervous system. Quantitatively, Alzheimer's disease makes up only a small percentage of such diseases. Qualitatively, they are all one of the main sources of growing medical and social problems. These patients, with no prospect of recovery, form an ever-increasing layer of people oppressed by their condition and oppressing those around them with the doom and impotence of modern medicine. We must face the truth, as in the eyes of patients who express constant pain and hope, and, without deceiving ourselves, now look for new approaches to the prevention and treatment of this disease.

Alzheimer's disease is severe. Beginning imperceptibly, more often after 55-60 years, it often manifests itself for the first time, as if gradually, in a basic lack of hygiene: a person stops washing, cutting his nails, or changing his linen. Rest is replaced by lengthening periods of inactivity. Memory gradually becomes worse. Soon, so-called aphasia appears - the patient ceases to understand speech addressed to him, answers inappropriately or on a different topic altogether. He doesn't seem to hear the question. Gradually, reading and speech become more and more impaired, and handwriting changes. Multiple rhythmic repetitions of the last word of the phrase occur. Somewhat later, the patient ceases to recognize those around him, and movements become imprecise. Hallucinations, various kinds of convulsions, including epileptic seizures, and even unstable paralysis may be observed. The disease usually progresses over two to four years, rarely more. But it must be said that the appearance of the first external signs of the disease is far from the beginning, but a continuation of a process that had been going on unnoticed for at least several years before. And it is simply impossible to catch its beginning with any of the most modern methods.

I have not given all, but many of the clinical details and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, clearly expressed, so that readers would have less speculation and anxiety about their own forgetfulness.

So the rare Alzheimer's disease would have remained inconspicuous, one among other infrequently occurring lesions of the nervous system included in the group of neurodegenerations, if not for President Reagan's disease and his courageous, essentially farewell, address to the nation after the diagnosis.

Most people only learned about its existence then. It is also heard by doctors, who have become more wary, but not always sufficiently informed. And hence the avalanche of excessive, often superficially made diagnoses, which are essentially unfounded verdicts, have fallen on society. And yet - a wave of threats to all humanity! For example, Ukrainian professor Vladislav Mertsalov “calculated” that by 2050 the number of people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease in the United States could increase to as many as 10 million people, and worldwide, in his opinion, their number will reach 100 million!

From my point of view, such intimidating data are based on premises provoked more by emotions than by the essence of the phenomenon.

Nowadays, the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is made with amazing ease for many patients, including young ones. In fact, almost any gradual decline in memory that appears is now often and unconditionally regarded as an initial manifestation of Alzheimer's disease. At least, I observe a similar trend in the USA.

My personal experience, as well as the experience of the development of medical science in general, shows that in addition to real epidemics, infectious and other diseases, there are epidemics that have a psychogenic (suggested) origin (the so-called iatrogenies; the name comes from the Greek words iatros - doctor and genos - origin ), coming not so much from the public perception of certain events, as, for example, happened in connection with the illness of President Reagan, but from the general tendency to heightened perception of “sensations,” especially in medicine. And also, probably, because any person, thinking about his old age, possible infirmity and some unpleasant prospect of the occurrence of senile changes in the psyche, seems to “try on” them for himself. Such “examples” are inevitable, however, in my deep conviction, there is no reason for panic, just as there is no sensational “silent epidemic” of Alzheimer’s disease. I have sufficient fundamental grounds for this statement. Studying the issues of acute and chronic pathology of the nervous system of various origins for more than forty years, I constantly worked on the problem of progressive lesions of the nervous system, where the so-called neurodegenerations were leading in the development of the pathological process. Alzheimer's disease occupies a very modest place among them.

What did these long-term, comprehensive studies, covering more than four hundred patients, show? First of all, the exogenous, that is, external, incoming factor (viral, toxic, etc.) was completely excluded. It also turned out that any acute diseases - from colds and infections to injury or intoxication - are just provoking moments that reveal the external manifestations of an already existing disease in a latent form. In addition, it has been established that hereditary factors in most cases can play a significant role.

The most important thing is that a strict connection was noted between a number of lesions of the nervous system in general, caused by the primary pathology of various endocrine formations - the pituitary gland, thyroid and parathyroid glands, adrenal glands and other disorders of their functions, most of which are causally caused by hereditary factors that are realized in various ways at different stages of life. This is where the multiform nature of damage to the nervous system comes from. Similar ideas have been expressed before, but without clear evidence.

We found the answer in 1993, when it was first clearly shown that neurodegeneration is a neuroendocrine pathology.

In recent decades, science has established that the human brain, in addition to 13 billion(!) nerve cells and the pathways connecting them in the form of the finest fibers, has its own intracerebral, very powerful neuroendocrine system. The latter consists of many nodes that ensure the normal activity of various parts of the nervous system. Dysfunction of any such nodule may be the cause of a certain nervous disease. In particular, the most famous of them are Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism (their division is very arbitrary). They are caused by dysfunction of the substantia nigra of the brain, which produces the neurohormone dopamine. The works of American researchers in the late 70s of the last century established that disruption of the activity of another endocrine nodule of the brain (unpaired nucleus of Meynart), as a rule, leads to the development of Alzheimer's disease, death of cells in the cerebral cortex, and amyloidosis. It’s strange that many people have forgotten about this now.

This inevitably begs the question about the nature of such diseases in general. Could they be the result of a hereditary predisposition to neuroendocrine disorders? Obviously, in the overwhelming majority, they can. A little clarification is necessary here to avoid confusion. Well-known endocrine diseases, such as pathology of the thyroid or parathyroid gland, diabetes and some others, are in no way associated with neurohormones. This is a completely different endocrine system - somatic (“bodily”).

It has already been said above that most often the appearance of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and similar ones is caused and stimulated by various identifying factors - infections, intoxications, injuries, etc. And only now it becomes clear that the starting mechanism of the disease, its “fuse” has another reason. The leading candidates for this role are genetic, hormonal, or more precisely, neurohormonal disorders.

The first confirmation that the chosen direction of the research was correct was received more than fifteen years ago, when in a number of cases the use of certain neurohormones, and hormones in general for similar diseases, showed some effectiveness, in particular in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerations. Unfortunately, the hormonal system of the brain and the elements that make it up are still little studied.

In the meantime, medical science has to patiently watch the emergence of the most fantastic proposals and speculations in overcoming such ailments in general and Alzheimer's disease in particular.

Such attempts include, for example, the proposal to use the well-known adsorbent Unithiol (BAL - British anti-lewisite, invented during the First World War to treat the consequences of gas attacks), made recently by Ukrainian doctors, who for some reason believe that this drug was created only in 1950 in Ukraine by a certain V.E. Petrunkin... Or a vaccine (to what pathogen is unknown), as reported by the American media.

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to overcome diseases associated with age-related memory loss soon, and it is unclear whether it will be possible at all, because, as was said, the external manifestations of such diseases are usually discovered gradually, after a fairly long period after initiation, when what happened is already irreversible. So far, only hopes for prevention and, possibly, stopping the disease process are promising.

But, again, we must understand that such diseases are very rare, as are cases of senile dementia. The reasons that cause memory loss are, in the vast majority of cases, much more diverse and not so severe. They often respond well to modern, well-known methods of prevention and treatment.

It should also be said that in a significant proportion of cases when patients complain of memory loss, in fact, something completely different is happening to them - most often there is a violation of attention, so characteristic of age-related changes. Weakening of attention leads to underestimation, a certain fleeting perception of situations and the completely familiar world around us. It is sometimes quite difficult to get rid of this. The only remedy is training, constant creative work, repeating the most important points to yourself, recording the necessary things, and even better - keeping a diary. Isn’t it true that an extreme situation is always remembered quite firmly at any age? But the main thing is not to forget to look at the notes.

And you shouldn’t be afraid of sudden forgetfulness, even jokingly calling it “sclerosis” or “Alzheimer’s.” As the famous writer-humorist of the 20s of the last century Arkady Averchenko liked to say, repeating folk wisdom, “God forbid, you can call it on your own head!” But this, perhaps, is already in the realm of superstition...

Simple memory training techniques

Memorization. It has long been known that cramming does not develop memory. And 80-year-old scientists remember specialized information better than their young students. It's all about the structure of the perception of information, and not about its chaotic swallowing.

Read the text and try to understand its main points. You can underline them, write them down, repeat them to yourself.

Read the text again, paying attention to the subtleties. Try to connect them to the main ideas. Repeat the main thoughts to yourself and understand their connection with the secondary ones. To deepen your understanding of the text, it is important to ask questions about the main points.

It is useless to read the same text over and over again without remembering the main ideas. Repeat the text several times to yourself or tell someone. By the way, this is exactly how professionals prepare for important speeches and presentations, repeating the main points to themselves.

Even when you are going to talk to your family and loved ones about something important, say your speech to yourself. The main thing is to establish the final idea that you want to convey. Don’t get lost in the little things, then your opponents will be forced to speak to the point.

Association method. This is a very important method. Example. First and last names that you previously easily remembered often “pop out” from your memory. Try to associate the “stuck” surname with an object or image. Let's say the famous diplomat Gorchakov - associate his name with bitterness, mustard. The amazing Russian writer Leskov - a young forest will appear before your eyes (you can repeat the image several times).

When going to the store, do not write a list, but count how many items you need to buy. You can associate each one with a number: 1 - milk, 2 - bread, etc. When leaving the store, check the results. You went to buy 6 items - how many do you have in your bag?

Activate mental counting. Start counting in your head again. Set aside the calculator for large numbers. Figure out in your mind how much money you need for the simplest purchases, divide the budget into expenses - and everything in your mind.

Organize your life so you don’t feel constant panic. Such a simple thing - locks on doors that lock from the outside. And you won’t find yourself on the staircase with the only opportunity to enter the apartment by calling the Ministry of Emergency Situations (it seems that this costs several thousand rubles).

Before leaving your apartment or leaving your dacha, hang up a list of what you should have with you: money, a social card or travel card, glasses, medications that you always take, a pen. It is better to put your passport in a pocket that closes with a zipper. You should always keep your mobile phone in the same place. More than once I have seen people, especially women, in a panic looking for a ringing phone in their bag. If you don’t have a cell phone, you’ll need a notebook in case you have to call a payphone.

Mnemonic devices. It’s better to remember a few phone numbers, say your husband’s work phone number, by heart; The numbers are now long - break them into parts - 8-495-926-15-33. Repeat to yourself and you will remember it. Use mnemonic devices: say, 926 - dad was born in 1926, 15 - a game of tag, 33 - a film with Leonov about 33 teeth - it’s long, but it helps.

Document storage. Typically, documents, which increase in number over the years, are kept in large boxes or old briefcases, and in search of one you go through the whole box. Use transparent thin folders with buttons: they are sold in office supply stores; Papers easily jump out of plastic “corner” folders and are inconvenient. It would be nice to write on each folder with a marker (a thick indelible pencil): “Apartment”, “Cottage”, “Inheritance”, “Taxes”, “Medicine” - this will make life much easier when searching for the required paper.

Don't write anything on scraps of paper unless you have a special board on which they can be easily attached. A regular alphabet book or diary will make your life easier. Write down recipes, birthdays, necessary things there, say: “In six months you need to go to the Tax Inspectorate,” etc.

You go to the kitchen, but end up having no idea why you were there, or you met someone and very soon you forgot the person's name.

Poor memory is the scourge of modern society. Memory problems can occur at any age. You go to the kitchen, but end up having no idea why you were there, or you met someone and very soon you forgot the person's name. Surely many have experienced this. Such lapses are usually due to information overload, but from time to time, other factors interfere with our ability to remember.

13 Most Common Causes of Memory Loss

1. Vitamin B12 deficiency

Similar to iron, B12 helps in the creation of red blood cells, reduces lethargy and the risk of anemia, and improves memory processes. A recent study showed that Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to memory problems.

Research has shown that B12 works as a protective layer for myelin, the substance that covers nerves. When there is not enough B12 in our system, the layer is not thick enough and gets damaged. This damage slows down nerve impulses, which can also lead to memory lapses.

Vitamin deficiency can be caused by old age: As we get older, our stomach produces less and less acid, making it more difficult for our organs to absorb nutrients from food.

Another reason may be unhealthy diet choices, anemia, and Crohn's disease. B12 is most found in fish, meat, and dairy products. However, talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet.

2. High blood pressure

If you are over the age of 45 and often experience memory problems, it makes sense to have your blood pressure checked.

A study conducted at the University of Alabama found that people who have high blood pressure tend to suffer from memetic lapses as well as decreased cognitive skills compared to people with normal blood pressure.

The good news is that a healthy diet, exercise and weight loss can help reduce the risk of this problem.

3. Hypothyroidism

If you are often tired, have gained weight, feel depressed, and constantly have memory problems, you may be suffering from hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism often occurs slowly and gradually, reducing levels of the hormone thyroxine (T4), which has an important role in our body's energy production. Low T4 causes slow metabolism and slow cognitive function, resulting in memory lapses.

A common cause of hypothyroidism is autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's, where the body attacks itself. Additionally, viral infections and even overuse of antibiotics can also cause hypothyroidism.

4. Menopause

The general theory is that there is a link between forgetfulness and menopause in women, was recently confirmed. A study conducted at the University of California confirms that as estrogen levels decline, memory loss tends to occur. Estrogen protects neurotransmitters, and without sufficient levels of this hormone, they become less effective.

5. Migraine

If you suffer from migraines, you may be at risk of suffering from transient global amnesia (TGA) after age 50. TGA is a state where one got there while still being aware of who one is and who is around one.

This type of amnesia is usually thought to be caused by a genetic defect that causes nerve impulses to spread throughout the brain.TGA can temporarily paralyze memory, and migraines can be triggered by sudden immersion in hot or cold water, extreme emotional stress, or even sexual intercourse. Fortunately, TGA is a rare condition and is easily treated.

6. Long flights

Long flights lead to extreme fatigue. This symptom is usually caused by poor sleep, as well as jet lag.

A study conducted at the University of California found that feelings of drowsiness, lapses in memory and difficulty processing information can linger for some time after a flight, and even after a person's biorhythm has returned to normal. When we sleep, our brain processes memories, so lack of sleep can cause memory lapses.

7. Pregnancy

Pregnant women are often stigmatized , which is an impairment in memory, but in a recent study in Australia, researchers compared the performance of pregnant women against non-pregnant women. The results were convincing: the first group had a much harder time performing memory tasks. Researchers have suggested that the reasons for this are lifestyle and diet.

8. Chemotherapy

A common unpleasant side effect of chemotherapy is memory loss. It’s not for nothing that such therapies are often called brainwashing of patients.

Chemotherapy may affect the function of brain cells, based on a Stanford University study that found that women who undergo chemotherapy to treat breast cancer had memory lapses.

This is usually a reversible situation, and memory function will return to normal levels when chemotherapy is stopped, but in some cases, improvement may take years.

9. Anesthesia

When performing complex operations, anesthesia is often the only way for the patient to endure it. The downside is that there may be memory loss and cognitive decline after surgery. The University of Florida found that about 38% of patients over 55 years of age suffered from memory loss after surgery, and 12.7% had severe recognition problems over the next 3 months.

10. Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a type of brain short circuit that causes seizures and affects more than 50 million people worldwide. During a seizure, electrical impulses are sent to the brain, leading to problems such as temporary loss of motor skills, loss of cognitive function, and memory impairment.

11. Medicines for arthritis and asthma

Corticosteroids are steroids that the body produces that can be taken to treat asthma and arthritis. Taking high doses for six months or more may cause memory problems.

Although quite rare, corticosteroids can actually kill brain cells and lead to brain atrophy. Changing your dosage may help, but your doctor should advise you about other possible side effects.

12. Depression

Depression is associated with low levels of brain chemicals such as serotonin or norepinephrine. These chemicals can affect processes related to memory in the brain. Antidepressants and psychological treatments may help with memory problems in this case.

13. Excessive alcohol consumption

The more alcohol you consume, the less capable your brain is of storing short-term memories. Alcohol affects the hippocampus, reducing its functions, including the formation of new memories, so we sometimes forget what we did during a party.

Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to Korsakoff's syndrome - the ability to form short-term memories is lost, making it difficult to remember recent information.

Slow, controlled rehabilitation can reverse the process of memory loss in at least 25% of patients. Published If you have any questions about this topic, ask them to the experts and readers of our project

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness, we are changing the world together! © econet

VADIM, “forgot where I put the keys” - this is perhaps not about memory deterioration, but about fatigue and the routine of daily actions.

There are people who try to open the door of their own apartment with their office keys or, for example, come to the kitchen to boil the kettle and are surprised to find that it has already boiled, because they had already turned on the kettle before - simply because these actions are familiar and are carried out on “autopilot”, according to the same scenario every day.

Try to radically change your daily rituals, for example, if you still put your keys “wherever you have to,” then put a hook on the wall and promise yourself that you will hang the keys only on this hook and always, no matter what happens. Or vice versa. When the ritual of actions changes, the brain will begin to process information in a “new” way.

You can also simply train your muscle memory. Place any object in the room (“hide”), leave the room, blindfold yourself (don’t look!), return to the room and find the hidden object.

When we “forget”, for example, where we put the keys, this may mean that at the moment when we put them our body and our brain were slightly “in different places”, for example, we had already gotten up, but had not yet woken up. Muscle memory is a good helper in such cases. The children's game "Devil-Devil, Help" is on this topic.

There are a large number of tasks and games for training various types and mechanisms of memory. Many of them are seriously addictive, and a boring or difficult process turns into useful entertainment. Popular and convenient applications for smartphones: for iOS – “Elevate – Brain Training”, “Eidetic – Spaced Repetition”, “IQ boost”, “Circles Memory Game”, etc.; for Android – “Lumosity – brain training”, “Elevate – Brain Training”, “Memory – memory game”, etc.

Scientists from Northumbria University (UK) found out as a result of a study that, inhaling the scent of rosemary, people remember new information much faster. And the volume of absorption increases by 75%. It is interesting that this property of rosemary was suspected back in the Middle Ages: Ophelia speaks about it in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Use aromatic oils or plant rosemary in your home - and your memory training will become much more vivid.

Fans meditation It has long been said that thanks to it, blood pressure decreases, bad mood and even depression evaporate. As it turns out, short-term memory is strengthened at the same time. Scientists from the universities of California and Ohio (USA) found this out. The explanation is simple: meditation trains the ability to concentrate on one thought and not pay attention to stimuli. Actually, this is what is needed for high-quality memorization. To noticeably improve your memory, it is enough to meditate 8 minutes a day.

Scroll before bed in my mind all the events of the past day. Remember important and unimportant details, interesting dialogues. The bonuses of the method are the development of awareness, the emergence of a feeling of gratitude for every day lived, the prevention of insomnia. Plus, visualizing your day stimulates your imagination.

Nootropics help with VSD!

5 days Phenibut and 3 days Entrop.

Then Glitsed. Then, like a cucumber, you remember everything and don’t forget anything and don’t get stupid and there are no lapses in short-term memory. This is better than any exercises that don’t always help.

Emerging problems with working memory and concentration can be both harmless temporary difficulties (for example, an adjustment disorder against a background of severe stress can manifest itself as absent-mindedness), or a symptom of medical problems - for example, a depressive disorder or hormonal disorders (for example, hypothyroidism can cause some time to look like a depressive disorder). I would recommend that you see a specialist (GP, psychiatrist or clinical psychologist) for advice because the information you provide is not enough to make a recommendation.

In general, if the problem is functional, then its therapy comes down to learning to control anxiety and self-searching, which reduce concentration and the ability to remember through immersion in one’s thoughts, and if the problem is organic, then treatment comes down to taking various medications (for example, for hormonal disorders - replacement therapy of appropriate hormones). In both cases, treatment takes some time (from 8 to 12 weeks of CBT and from 4 to 8 weeks of selecting the right drug).

Most likely the problem is not with memory, but with attention.

Why? Because if you had a violation of short-term memory, then this would manifest itself in forgetting the current thing in general, and not just keys and other little things. You probably wouldn’t even realize that you have memory problems (in the case of short-term memory impairment, a person is often unable to realize that he does not remember information). Since you gave an example with keys, I conclude that the problem is not long-term, otherwise you would give an example that you forget the events of the last week, you cannot remember what you have been doing in the last days.

The ability to preserve and restore previous experiences, experiences and impressions in consciousness is the most important function of the human brain. In fact, memory is the person himself. Memory disorders significantly impair the quality of life, and each of us would like to preserve this higher mental function for many decades. But not everything depends on a person’s desire. Memory impairment can occur at any age. Disorders can be quantitative or qualitative. In the first case, individual fragments fall out, in the second, a confusion arises from real memories of different times and imaginary ones.

Types of memory problems

Human memory is a complex of complex mental mechanisms, which, despite the impressive amount of research, remains a mystery to scientists. So far, they have not been able to identify specific areas of the brain responsible for memory. It is traditionally believed that memory is a built-in part of a single mental apparatus, and not a separate recording machine.

Memory ensures the recording, storage and reconstruction of various facts, knowledge and skills.

The degree of memorization of an individual person is determined by a combination of factors, such as motivation (stimulus), emotional component, concentration, and individual mental properties. Even a slight impairment of the ability to remember is associated with noticeable discomfort.

Our brain lacks a specialized area specifically responsible for memory function

The main types of memory disorders are listed below:

1. Amnesia. Memory lapses regarding recent important events or fragmented memories. Memory loss in this case is often temporary. Recovering memories occurs in chronological order. Events preceding amnesia are most often lost to memory forever. Types:
   • dissociative amnesia - loss of memories of emotionally traumatic events, refers to varieties of natural properties of memory that displace painful memories into the realm of the unconscious; memories can be restored by working with a psychoanalyst or through hypnosis;
   • retrograde amnesia - loss of memory fragments for events that occurred immediately before the skull injury;
   • anterograde amnesia - loss of memories following trauma or stress;
   • fixation amnesia is the inability to remember and reproduce current events that coincided with trauma.
2. Hypomnesia. Congenital or acquired progressive memory impairment. Decreased ability to remember and reproduce digital, terminological data, titles, names. In older people, it is characterized by a gradual loss of memories from the present to the past.
3. Hypermnesia. Pathologically hypertrophied ability to remember, often relating to certain types or forms of memory (memorizing unnecessary details, information that does not carry a semantic load, etc.).
4. Paramnesia. A qualitative distortion of memory, which is characterized by false or confused memories of different times, as well as real and fictitious events. Types of paramnesia:
   • confabulation - false memories or combinations of events that actually took place with fictitious ones, when the patient talks about previously allegedly committed actions, achievements, non-existent wealth or criminal acts;
   • pseudoreminiscence - a confusion of memories when the patient replaces a forgotten recent event with facts that took place in the distant past;
   • cryptomnesia - replacing one's own memories with information obtained from books or other information sources, attributing to oneself other people's creative ideas (involuntary plagiarism);
   • echonesia - the perception of what is happening as previously experienced in reality or in a dream, as a continuation of these events;
   • palimpsest - loss from memory of fragments of what happened during alcohol intoxication.

Causes of memory disorders

There are completely different reasons for memory impairment. The most common include: chronic fatigue syndrome, mental exhaustion, head injuries, age-related changes, senile dementia, alcohol addiction, toxic poisoning of the body, micro- and macronutrient deficiencies. Specific reasons are more typical for certain age categories.

In children

Memory disorders in children can be caused by congenital or acquired conditions. The first includes delayed or incomplete mental development, the second includes problems with remembering information, amnesia as a result of injury, mental illness, or coma.

Fragmented memory impairments in childhood are most often caused by a combination of a number of factors, including an unhealthy psychological atmosphere in the family or preschool/school institution, chronic fatigue (sometimes due to frequent respiratory infections), and insufficient intake of vitamins and macroelements.

In young and middle age

In adulthood, there are also plenty of reasons for memory disorders. Starting from chronic stress at work and in the family, ending with serious neurological diseases (idiopathic parkinsonism syndrome) and brain damage (encephalitis). Mental illnesses are also associated with partial loss of memory function, including neuroses, depressive disorders, and schizophrenia.

Damage to the blood vessels of the brain and circulatory insufficiency have a significant impact on memory function. These include diseases of the endocrine system (diabetes, thyroid dysfunction), blood vessels, and chronically elevated blood pressure.

In the elderly

In old age, the main part of memory disorders is associated with impaired cerebral circulation as a result of age-related wear and tear of the vascular system. The metabolic process in nerve cells also suffers negative changes. One of the most common causes of serious memory problems in older patients is Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that gradually affects various aspects of memory

The natural aging process is accompanied by a decrease in memory acuity, but this happens quite smoothly. First of all, it becomes increasingly difficult for an elderly person to remember recent events. At the same time, the memory of the distant past can remain very clear; the old man remembers what happened long ago in detail. Increasing forgetfulness often provokes fear and self-doubt in older people, as well as anxiety and even depression.

Be that as it may, at least half of people after 65 years complain about deterioration in memorability. However, older people rarely experience significant discomfort due to the slow aging process. With a sharp and rapid deterioration of memory, there is a high chance of developing senile dementia if life-saving measures are not taken in time.

Symptoms of memory loss

Symptoms that raise suspicion of memory problems and may be considered signs of cognitive decline include:

• decreased concentration (inability to concentrate and fixate on a topic or object for a longer or shorter period of time);
• decreased ability to switch attention (excessive fixation on one topic and repeated return to it after a short distraction);
• state of lethargy;
• systematic violations of the daily routine;
• signs of apathy or depression (loss of appetite, suicidal thoughts).

Diagnosis for memory problems

Diagnosis of memory disorders is carried out by a neurologist. There are various diagnostic techniques for identifying memory disorders. It is important to understand that they are all standardized, and each individual’s memory properties have their own characteristics. The concept of norm is rather conditional. But it is more than possible to identify obvious violations using the methods below.

First, the doctor asks the patient to look through a set of several dozen cards with images of different objects. The cards are viewed fairly quickly, after which the subject must name the maximum number of items that he could remember, in a chaotic order. Having assessed the percentage of correct answers, the doctor makes a conclusion about the patient’s memory state. If the patient managed to remember about 2/3 of all images (for example, 20 out of 30), then this result corresponds to the norm and the person has no problems with memory.

Diagnostics of figurative (visual) memory is carried out using cards with images

Then the patient may be offered a second set of cards, with which he will need to perform similar actions. Dramatic differences in results will reveal a reduced ability to concentrate and remember (mnestic function).

In a similar way, not only visual, but also auditory memory is tested, only the pictures are not shown, but the objects depicted on them are spoken aloud. If the patient was able to reproduce about 60–70% of the information, this indicates an excellent result.

Another method of testing memory is to list unrelated words in a certain sequence (2-4 repetitions). The patient is asked to voice the remembered words immediately after the test and 30 minutes later. The correct answers are recorded, from which conclusions can be drawn about the degree of attention of the subject. Likewise, artificial words that have no semantic meaning can be used. If the patient managed to remember more than half of 10–20 words, then his memory function corresponds to the norm.

If serious organic disorders associated with cerebral vessels are suspected, diagnostic neuroimaging methods are used: CT or MRI. Magnetic resonance imaging, as the method of choice for suspected Alzheimer's disease, reveals characteristic signs of a degenerative process in the brain:

• decrease in the amount of gray matter;
• enlargement of the cavity of the ventricles of the brain;
• detection of inclusions (plaques) on the walls of arteries.

Principles of correction and treatment depending on the causes

Methods of treatment and correction of cognitive disorders directly depend on the established diagnosis. Cerebral circulation disorders - acute and chronic - arise as a consequence of diseases of the heart and vascular system. Therefore, therapy in this case is aimed at combating pathologies such as heart disease, hypertension, and cerebral atherosclerosis.

In conditions of the development of atherosclerosis, which affects the volume of blood movement through the vessels, it is necessary to prescribe drugs that prevent the formation of blood clots (Clopidogrel, Acetylsalicylic acid).

If it is determined that a person has significantly exceeded the indicators that are not corrected by diet, then it is necessary to take drugs that reduce the level of lipids or fats (Atorvastatin, Simvastatin).

It is important to eliminate factors that reduce blood supply to the brain, such as smoking, sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, diabetes.

The condition of insufficient blood supply to the brain is dangerous due to cell death as a result of narrowing or blockage of small vessels. In this case, it is appropriate to prescribe neuroprotective therapy. This treatment is provided by a special group of drugs called nootropics. These drugs increase the brain's resistance to a variety of harmful influences, such as excess load or oxygen deprivation. They are represented by neuroprotectors and direct-acting nootropics. The first include the following groups of drugs:

Direct acting nootropics include:

Gingko biloba extract is considered a natural herbal remedy with a nootropic effect. Preparations based on this plant have a pronounced effect that normalizes blood circulation in the brain. Tinctures of ginseng and Schisandra chinensis are used to generally increase vascular tone with a tendency to low blood pressure.

Combinations of nootropics with antidepressants or sedatives are prescribed for concomitant dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. In this case, an examination of endocrine function is indicated in order to identify possible disturbances in the functioning of the thyroid gland.

Nootropic drugs are used in the treatment of memory disorders of various origins, but always in combination with therapy of the underlying disease.

How to train your memory

The human brain, like the muscles of our body, needs constant training to maintain cognitive functions at the proper level. For a healthy person, it is enough to devote only 5 minutes a day to memory development exercises.

One of the most accessible and effective methods of training memory and thinking is solving arithmetic problems. You can start with simple examples:

• 487–93 =?
• 235:5 =?
• 27*6 =?

It is necessary to solve examples and problems in your head, without using auxiliary electronic devices. Mathematical calculations speed up the functions of thinking and analysis. Reflecting on arithmetic problems, calculating the percentage of discounts during the sales season, adding up the amount of a check without a calculator, we thereby provide a good workout for our brain.

Special techniques make it easy to memorize words, numbers, pictograms, and train your imagination

An excellent exercise for memory is memorizing random numbers, phone numbers, collections of objects, words that are not related to each other in meaning. To make the task easier, you can build various associative rows that help logically group certain words and symbols. For example, the number 0 (zero) visually resembles an egg, the number 1 - a candle, 4 - a sailboat, and 8 - a snowman. The graphic representation of such words or numbers may use different colors. Remembering not only the symbol, but also its color is a more difficult task, not for beginners.

Lifestyle correction

The state of memory, especially with age, is largely determined by genetic data, including a tendency to certain diseases, such as Alzheimer's type dementia. But an equally important role is played by diet and lifestyle. Here are some science-backed tips to help you maintain your cognitive abilities at any age:

1. Limit your intake of sweets. Large amounts of sugar in the diet can cause a variety of health problems, including cognitive decline. In people who regularly abuse sugary drinks and confectionery products, the volume of the brain decreases, in particular, the area responsible for short-term memory. By reducing the amount of harmful carbohydrates, you can improve not only your memory, but also your overall health.
2. Take fish oil supplements. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid), which are rich in fish oil, protect the heart from diseases caused by excess everyday stress and anxiety; reduce the inflammatory response in the body. According to clinical studies, long-term - at least a year - use of concentrated fish oil supplements significantly improves working and episodic memory in people over 65 years of age with mild cognitive impairment.
   Fish oil contains polyunsaturated fatty acids that protect our heart, blood vessels and brain
3. Take up a meditation practice. Meditation techniques are great for relieving stress and relaxing. Some evidence suggests that practicing meditation techniques increases the volume of gray matter containing neurons. Age-related changes lead to a decrease in gray matter in the brain, which negatively affects cognition and memory functions. Mental exercise sharpens short-term memory and improves visual-spatial working memory at any age.
   Regular meditation practice increases gray matter volume in the brain at any age
4. Normalize your body weight. As many clinical studies demonstrate, obesity significantly increases the risk of cognitive decline. Interestingly, obesity may actually cause genetic changes related to memory function. Excess weight also invariably leads to insulin resistance and increased levels, which becomes the cause of type 2 diabetes. Obesity is a significant risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's type dementia.
5. Train mindfulness and awareness. Self-awareness is a mental state of focusing on the current moment, attentiveness to one’s own sensations from the surrounding space. You can practice mindfulness as part of meditation or separately, as a kind of mental habit or skill. Mindfulness effectively reduces stress and improves concentration.
6. Don't ignore physical activity. For healthy brain function, it is important to engage not only in mental practices, but also regularly devote time to sports. Thus, even simple daily exercise of 15–20 minutes on a stationary exercise bike significantly improves the cognitive capabilities of the brain in people from 18 to 95 years old, according to research. Exercise increases the production of neuroprotective proteins and improves the growth and development of neurons, which reduces the risk of dementia later in life.

Prevention

Following the rules of a healthy lifestyle is the best opportunity to avoid memory deterioration ahead of schedule. Timely treatment of systemic diseases, including diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension, plays an important role. It is necessary to pay attention to the daily routine, alternating work with rest, ensuring night sleep of at least 8 hours so that organs and systems have time to recover.

You should not abuse low-calorie diets. For its activity, the brain consumes at least 1/5 of energy intake from food intake. Another thing is that it is important to build a balanced diet, where the main products will be vegetables, whole grain cereals, and fatty fish. Hydration of the body is of great importance. The daily fluid intake is about 2–2.5 liters for a person of average build. It is better to prefer drinking or mineral water as the main drink.

In old age, it is important to continue to maintain social activity, take an interest in news, read books and newspapers, and communicate with loved ones - this will significantly increase the chances of maintaining normal cognitive function into old age.

Causes of memory impairment: video

There are many simple, fun and effective ways to keep your brain in top cognitive health. But any technique must be based on a scientific approach. By combining the rules of a healthy lifestyle, physical activity and regular training of mental functions, you can be sure that your memory will not fail you until old age.