Summary

As one ages, memory loss and cognitive decline are inevitable developments. However, in most cases, especially when there is no underlying condition causing memory loss, the situation is reversible. By taking adequate care of one’s physical and mental health, seniors can halt or reverse age-related memory loss. There are various solutions for this that are very effective and proven over time. In this article, we will examine all that and more.

Introduction

We see seniors among friends and family seem forgetful. They even tell you that its natural. But why is age-related memory-loss even natural? There are several reasons for this, some of them being:

• Hippocampus is an important region of the brain. It is involved in forming and retrieving memories. With age, this region may shrink or deteriorate functionally.
• Hormones, and/or proteins that are involved in protecting brain-cells, repairing brain-cells and stimulating neural growth are secreted in lesser quantity, with age.
• Due to a combination of various reasons, blood-flow to the brain declines in seniors. The inevitable outcome of this is declining cognitive abilities and memory loss.

At the same time, it is important to know that the brain is capable of generating new brain-cells as long as we are alive. So age-related memory-loss is not inevitable, nor irreversible. The brain is one large and complex muscle. And like muscles in any other part of the body, if it is not used enough, or if it is abused, it will degenerate in function. This can happen at any age, including one’s younger years. Hence the motto for any muscle in the body – “use it or lose it”. Our daily activities, and our lifestyle have a significant impact on both memory and cognitive function.

This explains why so many seniors appear so sharp and have good memories. While so many youngsters appear forgetful and dull-headed. There are many ways one can protect, nourish and grow the grey-matter in their brain, irrespective of age. This article is precisely written to understand how to achieve this.

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How memory loss looks like

So, what are the signs and symptoms of age-related memory-loss?

• Occasionally forgetting where the person left things that are used regularly, like glasses, home key, car key, wallet, mobile phone, telephone book, etc.
• Forgetting names of people, or substituting with a wrong name (ex – calling the grandson with the son’s name, or calling one grandchild by another grandchild’s name)
• Occasionally forgetting an important task or appointment. For example – walking into a room and forgetting why he/she is there, forgetting to pay monthly bills for utilities, missing the doctor’s appointment in-spite of reminders being sent, etc.
• Becoming easily distracted during a conversation or interaction with family members, having trouble remembering what he/she just saw, heard or read
• Struggling to remember some information that is just “on the tip of the tongue”

And many more.

Yet, most of these symptoms, or the memory loss causing it, is reversible for some people, while it is not for others. That is why, at this juncture, we need to understand the types of memory loss.

Types of Memory Loss

• Acute memory loss: More commonly known as amnesia, this can happen due to a sudden injury to the head, a sudden illness, or any events that disrupt your memory processes. This memory-loss is sudden, severe, short-term and reversible.
• Progressive memory loss: This is a memory loss that develops gradually, and sometimes it is one of the symptoms of a degenerative brain condition. This memory-loss is gradual, moderate, long-term and irreversible.

Causes of Acute Memory Loss

• Blackouts caused by excessive alcohol consumption
• Aneurysms (blood-vessels develop a balloon-like bulge that fills up with blood, then bursts, causing bleeding) in the brain
• Surgeries done for epilepsy or any condition that cannot be cured by medication, cause temporary memory loss as one of the outcomes
• Toxins such as carbon-mono-oxide in the air, home or workplace
• Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy
• Trauma to the brain due to accidents, or assaults
• Any condition which causes brain ischemia or hypoxia, such as stroke (especially ischemic stroke)
• Transient Global Amnesia
• Delirium due to metabolic abnormalities or medication side-effects
• Mood disorders and mood swings
• Psychosis, a psychological ailment
• Medications such as anaesthesia, benzodiazepines and opioid painkillers
• Migraine headaches
• Use/abuse of recreational drugs
• Seizures due to epilepsy or other conditions
• Certain infections caused by virus or bacteria, such as HIV, tuberculosis and syphilis
• Trauma due to witnessing unhappy events

Causes of Progressive Memory Loss

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Neurodegenerative disorders such as Dementia with Lewy bodies, primary progressive aphasia and Huntington’s disease
• Brain tumours
• Vascular disorders of the brain

MCI, Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

At this juncture, it is important to be aware of three more conditions that cause memory loss.

A lot of seniors agonize about their memory loss and worry if they are developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Such people should consult a neurologist. Only a specialist can say for sure, whether they are suffering from temporary, acute memory-loss or any other condition.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are 3 successive stages of a condition that occurs in some seniors. It is marked by degeneration of brain tissue, which is not reversible. Progressive memory-loss, described earlier, is one of the symptoms of this degeneration. Now, it is not necessary that if the person has reached one stage of the condition, he/she will also get to the next stage for sure. That may or may not happen. Getting to the next stage can be prevented or slowed down with the right interventions.

Memory loss gets worse as the person moves from one stage to another and looks like this:

• Frequently losing or misplacing things
• Trouble with controlling impulse, planning or focusing attention (executive dysfunction)
• Frequently forgetting events, appointments and conversations
• Trouble recognizing familiar faces or familiar items (agnosia)
• Difficulty remembering the names of new acquaintances, while old names are well-remembered
• Having difficulty with tasks that could be done easily before (apraxia)
• Difficulty following the flow of a conversation
• Trouble saying or finding the right word (aphasia)
• Asking the same question again and again

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Reversible Memory loss

The following conditions also cause temporary memory loss. But by treating these conditions, the memory loss will also heal.

• Depression
• Deficiency of Vitamin B12, folic acid and thiamine
• Thyroid problems such as Hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) and Hyperthyroidism (over-active thyroid)
• Alcohol abuse
• Dehydration
• Side effects of certain medication, such as sleeping pills, painkillers, antihistamines, anti-anxiety meds, blood pressure and arthritis medication, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, anticholinergic drugs for gastrointestinal discomfort and urinary incontinence
• Taking multiple medications
• Cerebral vasculitis
• Subdural hematoma
• Auto-immune encephalitis
• Normal-pressure hydrocephalus
• Hearing loss
• Vision loss
• Sleep apnoea and sleep-deprivation

Solutions for age-related memory loss

If you are a senior who has mild to moderate memory-loss, these tips are for you:

Wear safety equipment: Considering that head-injuries are a major cause of memory-loss, wear safety equipment like helmets and seat-belts in car. Avoid climbing on ladders or high-stools to do some work.

Manage health conditions: If you suffer from type-2 diabetes, hypertension or brain conditions like epilepsy, take your medications on time. This will keep the condition in check and minimize outcomes like memory-loss.

Get an annual Health checkup: New ailments may be developing in your body, and you may not be aware because they don’t show any prominent symptoms. They may or may not cause memory loss. The only way to reveal them, is through regular, annual Health checkups.

Never ignore infections: Infections of the eyes, ears, sinuses, throat and lungs can quickly spread to the brain causing a host of symptoms including memory loss. Meet a doctor if you see signs of infection, and take the medicines promptly.

Stay social: Face-to-face, good-quality interactions with friends and family release feel-good hormones like dopamine and other chemicals in the body. This helps reduce stress and boost memory as well as cognitive abilities. Spend less time on the phone and more with people.

Stop smoking: The toxins in cigarettes cause various vascular disorders that can constrict blood-flow and cause stroke or other conditions. Quitting smoking reverses this effect, at any age. Join support groups that will make it easy for you to quit.

Limit alcohol consumption: Chronic alcohol abuse is linked to conditions like alcohol-induced dementia. Further, the damage to liver, due to frequent alcohol consumption can increase toxins in the blood leading to various conditions that can cause memory loss.

Stay organized: Use notebooks, calendars, planners, to-do-lists and calculators to make your work easy. These can be paper or electronic versions. Keep frequently-used items like keys, wallets, mobiles and other essentials in one place.

Limit distractions: Multitasking is one of those over-hyped concepts from recent times. While multitasking is still harmless and necessary for a younger person, it can complicate things for seniors with memory loss. It can be distracting and worsen memory-loss over time.

Manage stress: The stress hormone cortisol can do a lot of damage to the brain over time leading to cognitive decline and memory loss. If your professional or personal life is causing stress, turn to yoga, meditation and hobbies to stay calm and positive at all times.

Get enough sleep: Sleep deprivation is a significant reason for memory loss at any age, and not just in seniors. It prevents new neuron growths in the hippocampus which leads to cognitive decline and memory loss. Seniors must aim for 8 to 9 hours of sleep every night.

Watch what you eat: Foods that are rich in saturated fats, trans-fats, salt and added-sugar are known to harm the brain, causing memory-loss. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, foods rich in Omega-3 fats, and more of lean meat. Limit caffeine, red meat, refined grains and fatty foods.

Exercise regularly: Neurologists believe exercise is known to keep conditions like diabetes, stroke, hypertension, obesity and high cholesterol under control. This cuts the risk of developing dementia by up to 50 percent. It can also halt the progress of Alzheimer’s and restore mental health.

Do brain exercises to boost cognitive function and memory

• Play games that involve strategy such as chess and bridge.
• Play word games like Scrabble and Crosswords, or number puzzles like Sudoku.
• Read newspapers, magazines, and books, either online or in paper, that force you to think.
• Keep experimenting with ‘new’ things: A new recipe, a new route for driving or walking, a new topic to learn, a new channel or program to watch on TV, a new language to learn, a new way to do the same task, using your less-dominant hand, etc.
• Aim for constant improvement: No matter what you do, and how familiar you are with it, try to improve the quality of that work, consciously.
• Take on projects that will require some design and planning: a new garden, a new book to write, a renovation project for your home, etc.

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Continue sports and games: If you have been the sporty type all your life, then continue that as a senior. Playing sports to the best of your ability has both positive and mental health benefits. Avoid straining yourself too much while playing, as that can increase cortisol levels.

Listen to Music: An appreciation for music becomes an asset in old age. Music is known to soothe the senses, calm the nerves and sustain good cognitive function or memory. Make an album of your favourite songs and play them often.

Create a Memory Bag: Good old memories are known to release dopamine and other feel-good hormones in your body. Make a bag or cupboard of positive items from your life, right from childhood, and handle them, or look at them whenever you please.

Create a scrapbook: A photographic album with photos of your near and dear ones is common in every home. Additionally, create a scrapbook with comments, pictures, events, people and places all put together in detail.

Simple Gardening: Seniors who love gardening can work towards creating an indoor herbarium, or vegetable garden. Those who love their blooms can grow an array of flowering and decorative plants.

Indulge in your favourite hobbies: Somebody loves collecting books, somebody stamps, somebody antiques, somebody loves singing or dancing, crocheting or knitting, etc. Everyone has a hobby. As one grows older, it’s good to indulge in these hobbies for overall well-being.

Continued Learning: If you have the time and intellectual bandwidth, you can even sign up for a course, diploma or degree program, either at an offline university or an online academy. It can be very satisfying, while greatly boosting memory and cognitive function.

At Kauvery Hospital, with convenient locations in Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli, and Trichy, our dedicated team including expert neurologists is committed to providing holistic healthcare solutions. We passionately offer excellent support to seniors dealing with memory loss, guiding them toward effective strategies aimed at improving their cognitive health. To schedule an appointment, please reach out to us. Your optimal health is our priority.

Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai (Alwarpet & Vadapalani), Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.

Chennai Alwarpet – 044 4000 6000 • Chennai Vadapalani – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4003500 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 6801

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