Max Lab
Sep 21, 2022
General forgetfulness or mild memory loss that comes with age is quite normal for humans but not really categorised as amnesia. Unlike popular movies, where people wake up questioning who they are, in amnesia or amnestic syndrome, a person can remember their identity and motor skills but is unable to either form new memories, recall things from their past, or sometimes, both.
The term comes from the Greek word amnēsía, which means ‘forgetfulness’. Amnesia, also known as the amnestic syndrome, is a dramatic form of forgetfulness that refers to a large-scale loss of memories.
Amnesia is a disease that is characterised by the loss of memories, like facts, personal milestones, important information, etc. It is a condition under which a patient has trouble recalling memories or making new ones. The causes of amnesia can be physical, like trauma, injury, or infections that impair brain function, or the causes of amnesia may be psychological like a traumatic experience.
Based on what the cause is, amnesia can be temporary, where one regains their memories or the ability to form new memories, or it may be permanent.
Retrograde amnesia is when one loses the ability to recall events that happened before the event that triggered the amnesia. It usually affects memories made recently and not those from years ago. What is the extent of retrograde amnesia and how many memories are affected will depend on the amount of damage the brain has suffered.
Causes: Retrograde amnesia can be a result of damage caused to different parts of the brain, apart from the hippocampus. Cerebrovascular accidents, stroke, head trauma, drug or alcohol abuse, etc. can also lead to retrograde amnesia
Anterograde amnesia is defined by what a person is unable to commit to their long-term memory. In this condition, individuals have trouble forming new memories after the event that caused amnesia.
Causes: Anterograde amnesia can be caused by damage to the hippocampus, or by trauma, stroke, surgery, alcoholism, encephalitis, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, brain anoxia, etc.
These are types of amnesia that occur when an individual experiences a significant head injury. They may feel disoriented most of the time or may face difficulty in remembering things that happened a few minutes ago.
Transient Global Amnesia, or TSG, is a type of amnesia when someone suffers from temporary memory loss of all events and faces difficulties in forming new memories. TSG is very rare and more likely to occur in older people with vascular diseases.
People with dissociative amnesia struggle to remember information about themselves, stints of which usually come on suddenly. Childhood trauma, neglect, abuse, or issues relating to personal identity and past experiences are some of the most common causes of dissociative amnesia. There are also various types of dissociative amnesia, including localised amnesia, selective amnesia, continuous amnesia, systemised amnesia, generalised amnesia, and dissociative fugue. The treatment for dissociative amnesia depends on the extent of memory loss and may include supportive therapy, hypnosis, cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy, and more.
Drug-induced amnesia is short-term memory loss that is triggered by using drugs. In this condition, an individual cannot recall memories of the time during which they were under the influence of the amnestic drug.
Also known as childhood amnesia, this term is used to define the way adults are unable to remember early childhood memories. This may be because a child’s brain has not developed completely, which makes them unable to consolidate memories.
For people with a long-term history of alcohol consumption and thiamine deficiency, Korsakoff’s Syndrome Psychosis is common. Recalling short-term memory might not be an issue under this condition but recalling past events may pose great difficulty.
In this type of amnesia, people forget certain parts of their memory or certain events that have happened in their life. Selective amnesia is often used for treatment in psychiatry which is induced by techniques like electroconvulsive therapy or ECT.
This type of amnesia is experienced by people with temporal lobe epilepsy. The condition is also seen in people with epilepsy as a response to anti-epilepsy drugs.
There are several parts of the brain that are involved in memory function. Injury or disease that causes damage to the brand or affects it can also be what causes amnesia. These include:
Diagnosing amnesia generally begins with the doctor asking about the memory loss and the symptoms being noticed. A caregiver or family member should also be present to help with the evaluation as the patient themselves may not remember or be aware of all situations. Diagnoses may also involve cognitive and diagnostic tests for amnesia, as well as blood tests for nutritional efficiencies or to detect infections.
Different types of amnesia have different treatment courses to be followed and even then may vary based on the degree to which a person is suffering from the issue. In many cases, amnesia and memory loss resolve themselves within some time without any treatment. However, if an underlying physical or mental disorder is persistent in an individual, treatment for the condition becomes a must. Here are some of the therapies that an individual might receive based on the type of amnesia they are suffering from:
Amnesia is a neurological condition that requires treatment for the underlying cause. Since most types of amnesia result from emotional or physical trauma immediate medical attention can go a long way in dealing with the issue.
Amnesia is a condition that affects the memory and it can be caused by various factors such as brain damage due to injury, stroke, or disease. It's important to note that amnesia isn't just forgetting things occasionally but rather a persistent difficulty in forming new memories or recalling old ones.
There are several types of amnesia, each with its own unique characteristics and causes.
Yes, Treatment for amnesia often involves addressing the root cause of the condition. For instance, if it was caused by head trauma or injury, treatment may involve medication to reduce swelling in the brain and surgery to repair any damage.
One vital step towards reducing the risk of amnesia is getting enough sleep. Lack of proper rest puts immense pressure on the brain and can lead to memory problems or worsen an already existing one. Additionally, avoiding stress and maintaining a healthy weight by eating well-balanced meals helps keep the mind active and alert.
There are several lifestyle changes that can help individuals manage symptoms of amnesia. One such change is to establish a consistent daily routine with specific times designated for certain activities, such as eating and sleeping. This can help improve memory function by creating structure and reducing stress.
People with amnesia may have varying degrees of difficulty in retrieving their memories. In some cases, certain triggers such as a specific scent or sound can help bring back forgotten details. For others, therapy and counseling can aid in memory recovery by using techniques like repetition and visualization.
Anterograde amnesia is a type of memory impairment that affects the ability to form new memories after an injury or illness. While this type of amnesia can be long-lasting, it is not always permanent and may improve with rehabilitation programs.
The part of the brain affected by amnesia depends on the type and cause of each individual case. For instance, damage to the hippocampus and surrounding areas can lead to anterograde or retrograde amnesia while frontal lobe injuries may cause transient global amnesia.
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