Short, Temporary Memory Loss Any loss of memory can pose a serious problem. Memory means the ability to store, recollect and recall information about past experiences, thoughts and knowledge. This is a very important faculty in order to function properly in daily life.
Memory for specific information may vary greatly depending on the person and his or her state of mind. Depending on the content of the information, memories may vary.
For example information that is interesting or exciting is more likely to be better remembered as compared to information that is uninteresting or mundane. Memory lapse would normally be caused by a failure to adequately store a particular memory in the first place, or by a failure to retain and later recall the information. A memory loss, commonly also referred to as amnesia is a degree of forgetfulness or failure to recall past events that is above the normal level. There may be different causes for a short term memory loss, and depending on the cause the memory loss may be sudden or gradual, and either permanent or temporary.
Memory loss may at times be limited to an inability to recall events that are recent, events from the past or both. The normal aging process does affect the learning and retention of new material but in normal cases is not the cause of memory loss that is very significant, unless caused by a disease.
Transient global amnesia is just one type of short term memory loss that is very rare, and is a complete, but a temporary memory loss. Anterograde amnesia on the other hand is a memory loss wherein the individual can not recall recent events occurring in the aftermath of the trauma, but can clearly recall events of the distant past. Retrograde amnesia is a condition of memory loss in which the individual has no recollection of events preceding or leading up to the trauma, but can recall all subsequent events.
Memory loss could have a variety of causes that could include quite a few chronic medical and psychological conditions, drug or alcohol abuse, trauma, medications and infections.
Memory loss is something quite terrifying when serious, and cannot be treated with drugs, but research now indicates that dietary measures can prevent or contain the seriousness of the problem. Diets that have a high content of leafy vegetables, fruits, cereals, legumes and fish are believed to be beneficial, while large amounts of red meat, alcohol and foods with saturated fats are harmful and may accelerate memory loss. Studies have in fact found that the occurrence of memory loss causing disorders is much lower among populations where vegetarian foods and fish are the main components of the diet, while proportionately high among groups where the diet is rich in fats and cholesterol. Some of the most popular diets to prevent and limit memory loss, that are even used to treat Alzheimers, include the Mediterranean diet, vegetarian diets or low fat diets.
Temporary Memory Loss CausesThe human brain is the most powerful computing device known to man. Nestled within this organ are billions of tiny neurons that exchange information via electric impulses. Everything you see, feel, and experience travels via nerves to the brain. The brain now does a fascinating thing: it provides three types of memory; working, short term, and long term. We are barely aware of working memory, but short term memory can be measured in seconds. Long term memory is used to store information for years and decades. This explains why you may be able to remember the color of your first car, but not what you needed to pick up from the supermarket. Such simple short term memory loss is common and harmless. However, if such lapses of short term memory continue regularly, there may be a problem. It is recommended that you visit your doctor if you notice frequent episodes of memory loss, especially of events that occurred within the last minute.
One of the leading short term memory loss causes is a degenerative disease. For example, seniors are prone to Alzheimer's disease. This condition changes the way the brain works and one of the first symptoms is persistent short term memory loss. The patient is often confused about current events such as the date, but may remember details of a movie from decades back. However, since Alzheimer’s disease is degenerative, you will soon notice instances of long term memory loss. In severe cases, people have no memory of ever meeting their own spouses, even after spending a lifetime together.
Another one of short term memory causes is substance abuse. Continued drug or alcohol use has been known to damage brain cell linked to short term memory. Long-term alcoholism is also linked to the Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, which damages both short and long term memory.
Other causes include strokes, severe infections, psychiatric disorders, or a brain tumor. Typically, your physician will take CAT scans to study brain activity patterns and diagnose the root cause. Sometimes, a sudden short term memory loss can be caused by a physical trauma. For instance a head injury to the temporal lobe of the brain has been known to causes symptoms of short term memory loss. This type of memory loss is caused by extreme circumstances and may include psychological pressure or abuse.
Luckily, you always have the option to “exercise” short term memory and keep it in prime condition. Try and pick up hobbies that specifically work with short term memory. Examples include word games and puzzles. Some video game manufacturers have products that claim to exercise short term memory. Even a simple change in daily routine will help you concentrate more on short term memory. Most medical studies indicate that an average adult can remember only about 7 pieces of information in short term memory. You could try creating lists of numbers, looking at them for only a few seconds, and then recalling them. “Chunking” is one method that can help to improving short term memory. It works by literally chunking new information into smaller numbers of sets. For example, remembering a complicated 12-digit phone number can becomes easier if you break the number into 4 chunks, each with 3 digits. Regular exercise can help, since it improves blood circulation to all organs, including the brain. A good workout also reduces high stress levels, which otherwise can interfere with memory creation. Make sure your diet includes brain-friendly foods. These include green leafy vegetables rich in vitamins needed by the brain. Omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood such as crab meat and tuna fish is also helpful in keeping your mind energetic, healthy, and sharp!
Short term memory loss Symptoms And Treatment
Short term memory loss is essentially a condition in which a person is unable to recall certain events that he or she was a part of either recently, or in the distant past. Also known as amnesia, the condition is known to have very abnormal degrees of becoming prominent and can develop either suddenly or gradually over a period of time. When discussing the various short term memory loss causes, one of the most common factors is the ageing process. Amnesia is known to be a very common result of the aging process, although a number of other factors such as head injuries or trauma, psychological effects or even depression and drug abuse are known to cause short term memory loss. There are also a number of medical conditions that are known to cause short term memory loss as a side effect. For instance, some of the more common medical conditions that are known to cause this to occur include meningitis, pick disease, west Nile virus and a stroke or seizure amongst many others. Short term memory loss symptoms include dementia, vision impairment, impairment in muscular co-ordination as well as serious problems with cognitive abilities. Short term memory loss is not solely concerned with ageing and old people. Short term memory loss in children is also known to be as relatively prevalent as short term memory loss in elderly people. Short term memory loss treatment must always be undertaken in consultation with a doctor. However, the said treatment may include mind games (in the form of brain exercises) in combination with prescription drugs from a certified psychiatrist. The extent of memory loss could be determined with the help of a short term memory loss test.
Temporary memory loss is different from short term memory loss in that the affected individual is only likely to have trouble remembering certain pieces of information. In most documented cases, some of the more common temporary memory loss causes can be attributed to being the result of a person suffering from chronic alcoholism, having undergone temporal lobe surgery and there being a long history of prevalence of the condition in the individual’s family medical history. The more prominent temporary memory loss symptoms include the individual being unable to find the right words to use in a particular sentence, prominent mood swings as well as the sudden inability to perform a task that he or she might have been able to accomplish without any mistakes previously. The patient is also likely to experience temporary memory loss symptoms. As soon as the symptoms are diagnosed in a patient, it is very important that they seek the help of a trained medical health care professional in order to help with laying out a treatment plan that will be primarily focused on containing the root cause of the problem. For instance, in the event that the condition is primarily triggered by alcoholism; treating this problem would really be the only way to deal with the condition. Certain medication may need to be administered in case the condition stems from some other kind of mental or physical condition. Memory loss diet
When looking at the various treatment options for short term memory loss treatment in the elderly and in children, one of the most widely used methods of treatment is to take special note of the kind of diet that the individual consumes. Just as in the case of a well planned diet helping an individual cope with the problems of short term memory loss, following a bad or ill advised diet plan could compound problems and make the condition even more severe. As a result it is very important to make sure that you choose the right kinds of foods in your daily diet to make sure that it has a sustained impact on your memory. Studies have shown that consumption of high fat foods, especially fast foods like hot dogs and hamburgers, are likely to do more damage to your memory than good. The same studies documented findings that showed people after a 10 day diet of fast foods not only suffered from the obvious lack of energy to exercise, but the lack of nutrition had also impacted their brain’s ability to absorb and retain information. Vitamin B is considered to be one of the best and most effective ingredients to use when it comes to treating brain damage in a number of forms. Apart from your diet, additional vitamin B can be consumed through way of medication that can be easily purchased over the counter at your local medical store. Sources such as the internet or even your local bookstore are full of information about the various short term memory loss diets that will help you control the condition. Being able to cope with short term memory loss or even temporary memory loss requires certain adjustments and/or modifications in your habits as well as lifestyle. This will go a long way in ensuring that the condition does not cause too much havoc and chaos. For instance, simply carrying a notebook and writing down most of the important activities you do as and when you do them and will allow you to thumb through pages to help you remember what was done when. Moreover, this will also strengthen your brain and help fight short term memory loss more effectively. Consult your doctor in an effort to identify the various low carb diets for memory loss as well as an amnesia diet that may be more effective, taking into consideration your individual preferences and tastes as most information you are likely to find on the internet or in health books is of a generic nature and may not necessarily have an effect on your body. All said and done, memory loss must not be taken lightly as it could do permanent damage if ignored. Therefore, it is always advisable that you consult a doctor if either you or a family member experiences any of the above mentioned symptoms. Any decision on your part must be taken in consultation with your health care expert.
|