Memory Loss: Is it Normal–or is it Alzheimer’s?

Posted by: Vidya

Memory Loss and Alzheimer’s

Since memory loss is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s, many people worry when they or a loved one begin forgetting things, thinking this may indicate an onset of the disease. It’s a frightening thought. Alzheimer’s disease is now the fourth leading cause of death among adults in the United States after heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

Causes of Memory Loss

Memory loss has multiple causes, including stress (the most common), medications, alcohol or drug use, trauma, microwave radiation, and a variety of medical conditions, including other types of dementia as well as Alzheimer’s.

Depending on the cause, memory loss may have either a gradual or sudden onset, and may be either temporary or permanent. Memory loss may be limited to the inability to remember recent events, those of the distant past, or a combination of both.

Stress

Stress may be the most important reason for memory impairment in most people. Physical stress caused by simple fatigue or pain can often be a factor in memory loss. Psychological stress caused by depression, anxiety, or anger can also bring it on. The human body is built to protect itself. When there’s physical or emotional stress, the body often protects itself from overworking the brain and temporarily shuts the memory function down.

Drugs and Alcohol

Some drugs, in particular, benzodiazepines and anesthetics, can cause memory loss. Alcohol use can also affect the memory in two different ways. If a person becomes highly intoxicated, there can be temporary loss of memory, especially in relation to what happened during the period of intoxication. Long term alcoholism can also bring about permanent memory loss, especially short-term, due to a deficiency of Vitamin B12.

Trauma

Either physical or psychological trauma can cause memory loss. Brain damage through a head injury is a common organic cause. Psychological trauma can also cause amnesia and is often an adaptive response to a situation or event that is too difficult for the mind to adjust to.

Medical Conditions

A number of different medical conditions involve memory loss as one of their symptoms–for example, neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. Stroke also commonly involves a loss of memory; the degree of impairment varies according to the amount of damage caused. It almost always occurs in conjunction with other types of neurological deficits such as paralysis or speech impairment. A tumor in the part of the brain involved in memory can, of course, also create memory loss—as can infections that bring about inflammation of brain tissue.

Electromagnetic Fields

There is a growing number of studies on the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on the human brain, one of which is memory loss. Parents and teachers, in particular, are voicing concern about the installation of Wi-Fi in public schools, as Wi-Fi emits an especially hazardous type of EMF, called microwave radiation. They claim that, among other things, the children are showing greater and greater signs of behavioral problems and also brain dysfunctions, including memory loss, since Wi-Fi has been introduced into the schools.

The sharp rise in the use of cell phones, which also emit hazardous microwave radiation, adds to the dangers children are currently being exposed to—as do the hundreds of cell towers that now surround most homes in metropolitan areas. Adults too, of course, are being exposed to these same hazards, experiencing headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and problems with memory that cannot be explained in any other way.

Dementia

There are a number of different types of dementia, all of which include the symptom of memory loss. Dementia is often seen as a natural occurrence in old age. Depending on the extent of the disease, it may be reversible if it hasn’t reached an advanced stage. It can often be detected and cured through the intake of folic acid, calcium and vitamin B12.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Loss

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most debilitating form of dementia. Memory loss in this disease can become severe and serve to totally disrupt a person’s daily life.

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

Over time, Alzheimer’s disease progresses through three main stages, each characterized by a specific collection of symptoms and behaviors.

Mild Symptoms: People with mild symptoms of Alzheimer’s often seem healthy, but they’re actually having trouble making sense of the world around them. Early signs of Alzheimer’s disease may include:

• Difficulty learning and remembering new information
• Difficulty managing finances, planning meals, taking medications on schedule
• Depression symptoms (sadness, decreased interest in usual activities, loss of energy)
• Difficulty with some activities such as driving a car
• Gets lost going to familiar places

Moderate Symptoms: In moderate Alzheimer’s disease, the damaging processes occurring in the brain worsen and spread to other areas that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and thought. In this stage, symptoms and signs of Alzheimer’s disease become more pronounced and behavioral problems may become more obvious. Signs and symptoms of moderate Alzheimer’s disease may include:

• Forgetting old facts
• Continually repeats stories and/or asks the same questions over and over
• Makes up stories to fill gaps
• Difficulty performing tasks
• Following written notes
• Using the shower and toilet
• Agitation, behavioral symptoms common
• Restlessness, repetitive movements
• Wandering
• Paranoia, delusions, hallucinations
• Deficits in intellect and reasoning
• Lack of concern for appearance, hygiene, and sleep become more noticeable

Advanced Symptoms: In the advanced stage of Alzheimer’s disease, damage to the brain’s nerve cells is widespread. At this point, full-time care is typically required. For friends, family, and Alzheimer’s caregivers, this can be the most difficult stage. People with severe Alzheimer’s disease may have difficulty walking, and they often suffer complications from other illnesses, such as pneumonia. Signs of severe Alzheimer’s disease may include:

• Vocalizations such as groaning, screaming, mumbling, or speaking gibberish
• Behavioral symptoms
• Refuses to eat
• Inappropriately cries out
• Failure to recognize family or faces
• Difficulty with all essential activities of daily living

Risk Factors

Although Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging, the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles about every five years after age 65. Then after age 85, the risk reaches nearly 50 percent.

Another risk factor is family history. Research has shown that those who have a relative with Alzheimer’s are more likely to develop the disease themselves. The risk increases if more than one family member has the illness.

There also appears to be a strong link between serious head injuries and the future risk of Alzheimer’s. Further evidence correlates brain health to heart health. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s appears to be increased by many conditions that damage the heart or blood vessels. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Exposure to EMFs

Although memory loss and EMFs have been correlated for some time, recently studies have focused on the link between EMFs and Alzheimer’s, in particular. There is now strong epidemiological evidence that electromagnetic fields are an important risk factor in Alzheimer’s disease. This is not surprising when we note that the explosion of the technology revolution in the last ten years corresponds with the rise in the incidence of Alzheimer’s in the same period of time. Read more on Alzheimer’s and EMFs, and learn about a solution that may help alleviate memory loss and other symptoms.

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