The brain is the main controlling center of the human body. It controls all the activities.
Memory loss is unusual forgetfulness.
A person suffering from memory loss may not be able to remember new events also cannot recall one or more memories of the past.
Memory loss may be for a short time and then resolve. Memory loss usually depends on its cause.
Hippocampus
The hippocampus is a part of the forebrain.
The forebrain is the first and largest part of the brain which is further divided into three parts. It controls all the major actions performed by a human being.
The hippocampus plays an important role in the formation of long-term memory and thus is required for learning.
Causes of memory loss
Memory loss is caused by many reasons some of which are given below:
- Alcohol and tobacco – Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs if taken in excess amounts can cause long-term memory loss and have an adverse effect on human health.
- Depression and stress – Anxiety and stress directly affect human mental health and affect the formation of memory. Because the depressed person cannot pay heed to his work and thus cannot concentrate properly.
- Sleep deprivation – Proper sleep is necessary for the human body to perform its function. Both quantity and quality of sleep are important for the formation of memory. Getting too little sleep can also lead to memory loss.
- Nutritional deficiency – Healthy food is not only important for our bodies but also for our brains. Deficiency in vitamins like B1 and B12 can affect memory.
- Smoking – Smoking is injurious to health and thus harms memory. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the brain. Smokers are at more risk of memory loss than nonsmokers.
- Medication – Many prescriptions and taking a large number of medicines can result in memory loss. Sleeping pills and pain medications are the leading cause of memory loss.
Symptoms of memory loss
There are many symptoms of memory loss, a few of them are:
- Asking for the same question again and again
- Miss placing things in inappropriate places
- The abrupt change in mood or behavior for no reason
- Forgetting common things when speaking
Disorders
There are some major diseases related to memory loss these are:
- Parkinson’s disease – It is a nervous disorder. This disease is believed to be caused by cell death in a brain area that produces “dopamine”. It is slowly progressive and the patient can live for several years. The mental faculties are also not affected.
- Alzheimer’s disease – Alzheimer’s disease was first described by Alois Alzheimer in 1907. In this disease, there is a decline in brain function. A high level of aluminum is the main cause of this disease. There is also a decline in brain function with age.
- Dementia – Dementia is a generic term for loss of memory. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.
Treatment of memory loss
There is no proper cure for any sort of memory loss, but proper and regular medication may help to slow progression and ease your symptoms including short-term memory loss.
Effective drugs are available such as L-Dopa for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. A naturally occurring protein called glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF).
