AS MENTIONED in an earlier article, one of the great fears many people have is that they may lose their mental function and memory as they age. Is it normal for the memory to deteriorate as we age?
HOW DOES THE BRAIN STORE INFORMATION?
Information is stored in different parts of your brain as different types of memory. Short-term memory: information such as the name of a person you met moments ago. Recent or mid-term memory: information like what you ate for breakfast this morning. Remote or long-term memory: Information that includes things that you stored in your memory years ago, such as memories of childhood.
MEMORY AND THE AGEING BRAIN
Beginning when you're in your 20s, you begin to lose brain cells a few at a time. Your body also starts to make less of certain chemicals called neuro-transmitters that your brain cells use to create memory. The older you are, the more these changes can affect your memory.
Ageing may affect memory by changing the way your brain stores information and by making it harder to recall stored information.
Your short-term and long-term memories are not usually affected by ageing. But your mid-term memory may be affected. You may forget names of people you've met recently. These are considered normal changes.
OTHER CAUSES OF MEMORY LOSS
Many things other than ageing can cause memory problems. These include depression, other illnesses, stress, poor nutrition and vitamin deficiency, dementia (severe problems with memory and thinking, such as Alzheimer's disease), hormone imbalance or the side effects of drugs, strokes, a head injury and alcoholism.
WHEN IS MEMORY LOSS SERIOUS?
A memory problem is serious when it affects your daily living. If you sometimes forget names, you're probably okay. But you may have a more serious problem if you have trouble remembering how to do things you've done many times before, getting to a place you've been to often, or doing things that require that you take a number of steps, like following a recipe.
Another difference between normal memory problems and dementia is that normal memory loss doesn't get much worse over time. Dementia gets much worse over several months to several years.
It may be hard to figure out on your own if you have a serious problem. Talk to your family doctor about any concerns you have. Your doctor may be able to help you deal with some of the possible causes of your memory problem, for example, depression or hormonal imbalance.
WHAT ABOUT WHEN I KNOW
A WORD BUT CAN'T RECALL IT?
This is usually just a glitch in your memory. You'll almost always remember the word with time and this may become more common as you age. It can be very frustrating, but it's not usually serious. To remember a work or name, try to run through the ABC in your head. It often helps you think of the word by you 'hearing' the first letter of the word. This may jog your memory.
LIFESTLYE HABITS TO ENHANCE MEMORY
Physical exercise and mental attitude
One study on ageing tracked healthy people from middle age into their 80s. whose mental abilities ranked the highest in the population in this age group. They identified three factors that distinguished these people from the others:
They were more physically active than the others. They took daily walks and other forms of exercise, for example.
They remained mentally active. They, rather than parking in front of the TV, did the crossword puzzle every morning, browsed the library shelves regularly for new and interesting books, dabbled in hobbies and crafts, or played games.
They had a personality quality some have termed 'self-efficacy'. They met challenges with the confidence and desire to solve them, rather than being victims of misfortune.
MEMORY BUILDERS
Fish oils (omega 3 fatty acids). One third of all fats in the brain's gray matter are made up of long chain fatty acids
Fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts.
Adequate dietary protein soy and fish particularly
B complex and B12 vitamins
Antioxidants ACES
Herbs gingko biloba, guarana, ginseng
Special brain nutrients phosphatidylserine, alpha lipoic acid
Hormones DHEA and pregnenalone.
You may email Dr. Vendryes at Vendryes@mac.com or listen to 'An Ounce of Prevention' on POWER 106FM on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
