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Improving Memory; Understanding and Preventing By Susan Witz, RD, LD P t o o A f n s d a m t t p h m e i u r s r o e e n e r y r o e a t s i c e s r c m c b b o t n l f u e o e o e h d A j i t b i r a s l i d a p i e l u n o r n e c i s s f i p d e t a a n e t o t r e f h s i i r p m n e o t a s i u r Memory Loss ople of all ages experience “senior moments”— mes when we forget a familiar name, where we pu r keys, what we were supposed to get at the sto a telephone number we just got from informatio we age, these memory lapses may become more equent, until we begin to question what is a rmal decline in memory, and what indicates a mo rious problem. Brain science researchers have termined that age-related memory loss is minor d that we can actually grow new brain cells and mory paths as we age. The development of new eatments to help reverse memory loss and other pes of cognitive impairment is already in ogress. This article will explore what memory i w it works, and what we can do to improve our mory and mental acuity. Memory includes all that we remember, our ility to retrieve these memories and our capaci form new memories. The hippocampus, a primitiv ructure deep within the brain, plays a major ro acquiring and establishing new memories. In a assic medical case occurring in 1953, in an fort to cure a young man’s epileptic seizures, rgeons removed his hippocampus. The operation d duce his seizures, but in the bargain, he mpletely lost his ability to form and store new mories from present experiences, even though he uld still remember information that had already en stored before his surgery. In Alzheimer’s disease, the cells of the ppocampus also undergo gradual but permanent struction, thus eliminating the ability of zheimer’s patients to recall things that were st said or done, yet leaving their old memories tact until the final stages of the disease. Nea the hippocampus is the amygdala, a part of the ain that responds to emotionally powerful formation or events, which causes the brain to tain experiences that have emotional impact. On memory is established or consolidated, it is ored permanently in the cerebral cortex, the rge, domed, outer layer of the brain. The corte divided into several sections, which accommoda fferent kinds of memories, such as visual, ditory, touch, language, muscular control and oblem-solving skills. Memory can be divided into several distinct tegories. Short-term or “working” memory holds formation we need to remember for only a few conds, minutes or hours; and unless it gets ored in long-term memory, it is quickly rgotten. Normally, we can handle only about nin ems at a time in short-term memory, which events us from being so overloaded with useless tails that we can’t think straight. With extra fort we can learn strategies to help us hold mo an nine items at a time in working memory, such the names of numerous people we meet at a part Long-term memory is the storage place of all portant and emotionally significant memories. I cludes names, phone numbers, professional and creational skills, and all the knowledge we ssess. Long-term memory, unlike short-term t re n. re s, ty e le id r ce x te e re y. t m p u i e e s n mory, can store an unlimited amount of data rmanently. Some memories will fade with lack of e or access, while others will stay intact definitely. Explicit memories are facts we made a conscious effort to learn which we can recall at will, such as the names of the continents or the first president of the U.S. Implicit memories, also called procedural memories, are skills we use automatically, such as driving a car or riding a bike, or those we acquired with continuous practice over time, such as playing golf. Another kind of implicit memory is a deeply emotional one which comes to us automatically, for instance when we smell a familiar perfume that reminds us of a certain person. Flashbacks of traumatic events are also implicit memories that invade our mental space without an invitation. These sorts of emotionally implicit memories are less impaired by aging or Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, semantic memories are facts deeply ingrained, like the names of our siblings or the days of the week. They are like explicit memories in that we consciously learned them at one time, but they are also like implicit memories in that they require no effort on our part to recall. They include all the basic information we acquired in school such as multiplication tables and how to read and write. To remember anything, we must first learn it. This first step is called acquisition. When we learn new information, it is stored in temporary pathways, and unless we transfer it into long-term memory soon, it is lost. How well we remember things is about 50 percent genetic. We learn new information most effectively when we pay close attention to it without distractions, and when we are well rested and free from major stress. The second step in making memories permanent is called consolidation, in which the nerve pathways to long-term memory are strengthened through repetition. Consolidation can take weeks or months to complete. It helps if we can relate new facts to other similar memories, or if there is an emotional impact to this information. A good night’s sleep a f t e r i n p u t t i n g n e w data appears to be essential for later recall. The third step in creating new memories is called retrieval, the ability to access or reactivate them once they have been stored in long-term memory. As we get older, it takes more time to remember things, even when the memory pathways are still intact. After about age 50, memory difficulties seem to increase, because the ability to easily learn and remember new information decreases. However, an older person can learn and recall new information as well as a younger person; it just may take more time and effort to do it. Regardless of our age, we can all experience memory loss or distortion, which researchers divide into seven categories: • Transience: the tendency to forget facts and events over time. • Absent-mindedness: forgetting things because you didn’t pay enough attention to the information as y t n • b j • s a n • s y e i • t m w • m u ou were inputting it. For instance, not being able o find your keys or your glasses, because you did ot really notice where you set them down. Blocking: the information you want to retrieve is locked by another similar name or memory, or it ust takes longer to find it. Misattribution: the right memory, but the wrong ource. You think you heard a particular story from friend, but you actually heard it on the evening ews. Suggestibility: false memories you have because omeone has given you other key information while ou were trying to retrieve a memory. Therefore vents are altered to include the new but naccurate information. Bias: the tendency for your feelings about a n e v e n t t o a l t e r he way you remember it, for example, as either uch more negative or positive than it actually as. Persistence: the inability to forget unpleasant emories that keep coming back into your mind ninvited. Memory loss may be caused by factors other than aging, such as physical or mental illness, addictions and unhealthy lifestyles. Some major c a u s e s o f m e m o r y problems are: alcoholism, severe or chronic d e p r e s s i o n , h e a d t r a u m a , h e r e d i t y , h i g h blood pressure, lack of intellectual stimulation or physical exercise, sleep deprivation, poor vision or hearing, thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, stroke, poor nutrition (especially a lack of vitamin B12), Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s chorea, multiple sclerosis, chronic meningitis, Lyme disease, brain tumors, or dementia, which is characterized b y a progressive deterioration of memory and all other b r a i n f u n c t i o n s , t h e m o s t d e v astating of which is Alzheimer’s disease (AD). If you think you may be experiencing memory loss, consult first with your primary care physician, who can diagnose and treat any medical condition that may be contributing to your memory problem. If no probable medical cause is found, you may be referred to a psychiatrist, neuropsychologist or a “memory center,” where extensive tests are performed to assess memory and other brain functions. Treating memory problems depends on identifying the source. If behavioral and medical causes are ruled out, and early stage AD is ultimately diagnosed, there are currently three drugs available (Exelon, Aricept, Cognex) which can temporarily slow the progress of AD, but ultimately cannot arrest or cure it. These drugs also have numerous side effects that may offset the limited six to seven months of improved quality of life that they may be able to provide. However, a twoyear study of people with middle-stage AD, found that taking 2,000 IU of Vitamin E daily, also slowed the progression of AD for about seven months, without side effects. Earlier studies indicated that ginkgo biloba might have a positive effect on memory and mental acuity, but recent studies have not found ginkgo to be beneficial. As of now, there is no magic pill for people with normal age-related memory loss; however, the following strategies, which include both behavioral and cognitive memory-enhancing techniques, can help y i • a o s k t v t f • d l w a a • c w a l d • e r y S n m d • s m n • t 2 b • r g a i t c b • k c g s i I n a m i g m t i O v g ou nfo Ge ddr rga tic eys ask ita he or Ch isc ang rit nd nd Re onc alk bi ist anc Co ffo epe ou cre ew, igh on’ Ma ome ean ame Ch hre in ank Wr eme roc sk t a he an efo Ke eep ons et upp mpr mpo ew nd emo nve row ay he nfl the acc ene t r t e n k , s l l o a u u e g c d e , k e i n r a i e o ma o ss iz y w , p oc pe ll ss ag y et om uc nt p e n ng ce t t nf n an t t t u ke thi ing s o unk e s to ac ite mbe ery you ll sto tes re y s le ide a g ort ove rta dru oth ry sti th inc cen amm r r ine th To mental organi tion e rganiz books ers, a notes! rite d names ersona ation rating enge y ion cl e, lea our me on th munica e stre ration ractic ride, to mus . ntrate to pay the pe ormati out di d try ake lo se you associ ng you ful. 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You it all Ex d pl ci s e. to s -r be te e, ct id n f ti e i e a s r e m l e cise, t, ent, em de dis ela ing th wh or al of a on more about preserving your memory , check out the following books: to velop ease ted e i i a A ch n ntiD. and and R R M M B K M M ( e e e a r a i a W v g m r a t n r i and S N H r y p i y u u e e o r n o s t a g g i f g e a o k i z d i l rsing Mem ining, St ry, by Ve , M.P.H. n Alive; , Ph.D., Your Bra lyn S. Al ey & Sons I almost a memorab a r r i a v o a n W i i t i o t l a n s t e r i n s a t e r m a t c l a t n d e t p i s z , a S d r u r a o n s e ory Los rengthe rnon H. (Hought 83 Nuer and Man in; A G bert, P , 2001) forgot le new R d a i t t a s , n p d c c . D Y i e t o r i c b o c s; nin Ma on obi nin uid h.D . to yea . , L . o g a P n G i l i t i a n a n d e i n u t n u a l l 3 P g r M c g e . ro a k, if E R T , ve nd M fl xe ub o an wish r! D r m , m C t 1 . , o g r a n , n u o t i h i c r i t 2 . 9 n . i r i S d P D n c n u M r . , i etho eser , wi 200 ses (Wor ccess Guy M you a i s a m s I l t r i v a t a g o i o n 4 4 . t h a l . t i i o . c 0 8 d v t 0 L k f . s i h ) a m u F ng J ; wr an l Mc or Y ef Ke en , Ag Kh joyful e t o n F o 5 D i r e T h e S h e i n c o u a l s p o r m o u n s e l 5 . o f e c 1 i a u r p e 9 n n r ey P. Your , by C. 99); g, by n, M.D. holiday c t o r s n e r i o f a l s o a s e l o r , a k e r i n e n g o r