Memory impairment at different ages, causes of pathology and ways to solve the problem. How to treat memory loss in the elderly Causes of memory loss in the elderly

For quotation: Zakharov V.V. Memory impairment in the elderly // RMJ. 2003. No. 10. P. 598

MMA named after I.M. Sechenov

P Increased forgetfulness is one of the most common complaints in elderly patients. Memory loss in old age can be both a consequence of physiological age-related changes in the central nervous system and a pathological symptom of a number of brain diseases. Therefore, a careful analysis of the nature of mnestic disorders is of great importance for the early diagnosis of neurogeriatric diseases and the selection of the correct tactics for patient management.

Physiological changes in memory

Numerous experimental psychological studies are consistent with everyday observations that older people learn new information worse than young people. Age-related difficulties in the mnestic sphere usually arise when handling large amounts of information or when working simultaneously with several sources of information. This may make it somewhat difficult for older people to learn new skills and requires a more strict external organization of professional activities (for example, the use of notebooks, schedules, etc.). At the same time, physiological forgetfulness never extends to current or distant life events, as well as general knowledge acquired in young or middle age. The presence of amnesia for current events, partial loss of professional or everyday competence is always a pathological sign, indicating the onset of a brain disease.

Memory decline in old age is combined with a number of other changes in cognitive functions . The latter relate primarily to reaction time, which tends to increase with age. As a result, older adults take longer to perform the same amount of mental work than younger adults. Fatigue during mental exercise in old age also develops somewhat faster than in young people. Obviously, these phenomena are based on “neurodynamic” (in the terminology of A.R. Luria) changes in higher nervous activity, that is, a decrease in the activating influences on the cerebral cortex from nonspecific activating cerebral structures.

Physiological age-related changes in cognitive functions, according to neuropsychological research methods, occur between the ages of 40 and 65 years. Age-related changes in cognitive functions are non-progressive: thus, according to F. Huppert and M. Koppelman, healthy individuals over 65 years of age are not inferior in memory performance to persons in the age range of 55-65 years, but both are significantly inferior to those aged twenty. It is assumed that physiological changes in higher brain functions are based on changes in cerebral metabolic processes associated with hormonal changes.

In everyday medical practice, distinguishing between normal and pathological changes in cognitive functions is often a very serious problem. An attempt at a neuropsychological approach to this problem consists in the use of special techniques that stimulate the attention of patients at the memorization stage. For example, the patient is asked to sort the presented words into semantic groups (plants, animals, etc.), and then the name of the group is used as a hint for reproduction (methodology by Grober and Buschke, 1988). It is believed that in the presence of only physiological memory decline, such stimulation of attention equalizes the performance of elderly and young people. It should also be noted that visually presented information is remembered better in old age than auditory-speech information.

However, with relatively mild pathological forgetfulness (for example, in the earliest stages of organic brain damage), neuropsychological research methods can give false negative results. Therefore, from a practical point of view, active complaints of forgetfulness should always be considered a pathological symptom. However, this symptom can be both organic and functional (psychogenic) in nature, which requires additional consideration.

Memory impairment due to organic brain damage

Most often, progressive memory loss in old age is a manifestation Alzheimer's disease (BA). AD is one of the most common neurogeriatric diseases of a degenerative nature. According to statistics, this disease underlies at least half of the cases of dementia in the elderly and is observed in 5-10% of people over 65 years of age.

The risk of developing asthma is primarily due to genetic factors. The presence of cerebrovascular insufficiency and a history of traumatic brain injury are also considered pathogenetic factors. In typical cases, the first symptoms of the disease appear at the age of about 70 years and affect the mnestic sphere. Common complaints from patients: the inability to remember what they just read or saw on TV, the names of new acquaintances, difficulty finding the right word in a conversation. Forgetfulness is progressive in nature and at advanced stages of the disease it spreads to life events: first of the immediate past, and then of the more distant one (Ribault’s law). Other cognitive disorders are also characteristic of advanced stages of the disease: difficulties in spatial orientation, calculations and speech disorders.

The rate of progression of mnestic and other cognitive impairments in AD is individual. The age of onset of the disease can serve as a marker for the severity of genetic burden: the more severe the genetic defect, the earlier the disease begins and progresses faster. Therefore, presenile forms of asthma are less favorable in prognostic terms. When asthma begins in old age, disease progression may be slower. Sometimes there is a long-term stationary state of cognitive impairment, which does not exclude the diagnosis of AD.

Diagnosis of AD is based on the presence of dementia, the core of which is memory impairment, and the absence of clinical and neuroimaging signs of focal brain damage. In the predementia stages of the disease, when almost the only clinical manifestation is memory loss, the diagnosis, according to the recommendations of the AD Association (NINCDS-ADRDA), is formulated tentatively (“possible AD”).

Another common neurodegenerative disease is characterized by very similar clinical manifestations to AD. dementia with Lewy bodies (DTL). DLB is related to AD in genetic, neurochemical and pathomorphological terms. The distinctive clinical signs of this disease are the motor symptoms of parkinsonism and the early development of neuropsychiatric disorders in the form of recurrent visual hallucinations. In some cases, motor or psychotic disorders may come to the fore of the clinical picture, “overshadowing” relatively mild or moderate mnestic and other cognitive disorders.

In contrast to AD or DLB, memory impairment with vascular brain damage within dyscirculatory encephalopathy (DE) are presented more modestly. In typical cases, DE is characterized predominantly by a “subcortical” type of cognitive impairment. This is due to the fact that the basal ganglia and deep parts of the medulla are the zone of “terminal blood supply” and are therefore most vulnerable to insufficiency of cerebral blood flow. “Subcortical” dementia is characterized primarily by slowness of cognitive processes and dysregulation of voluntary activity in the form of inactivity, inertia, perseveration and impulsive behavior. It should be noted that the term “subcortical” dementia itself is not accurate, since these symptoms have a “cortical” pathogenesis associated with dysfunction of the frontal regions of the brain. The latter probably arises as a result of deafferentation of the frontal cortex due to disruption of frontostriatal connections.

Memory impairments in DE, as in other “subcortical dementias,” are secondary in relation to dysregulatory disorders. They are based on insufficient activity and disturbances in the planning of mnestic activity. Memory impairments in this case, as a rule, are obvious only when using neuropsychological research methods, but do not extend to current life events.

Often vascular damage to the brain is combined with neurodegenerative changes . The incidence of “mixed” (vascular degenerative dementia) is at least 20%, which is significantly higher than expected from a random combination of two diseases. Experimental observations are consistent with clinical ones and indicate that cerebral vascular insufficiency is the unfavorable background that accelerates the clinical implementation of genetic predisposition to AD. Therefore, among people with vascular diseases of the brain, the incidence of asthma is higher than in the general population.

Dysmetabolic disorders as a result of a somatic or endocrine disease, eating disorders, intoxication may also cause memory and attention problems in old age or may aggravate impairments associated with structural brain damage. Among the dysmetabolic causes of cognitive disorders, the most important to note are hypothyroidism, liver failure, chronic hypoxemia as a result of respiratory failure or sleep apnea, deficiency of cyanocobalamin and folic acid, abuse of alcohol and psychotropic drugs.

Functional memory disorders

Complaints of memory loss are a typical symptom of anxiety and depressive disorders. Mental disorders of anxiety and depression are the most common cause of increased forgetfulness in young and middle age, when organic memory disorders are rare. In old age, both functional and organic memory impairments are quite expected, and combinations of both are often found. This is due to the high prevalence of depression in the elderly. The latter has both organic and situational prerequisites. We are talking, on the one hand, about involutive changes in neurotransmitter systems, and on the other hand, about changes in social status, the loss of close relatives, and the occurrence of chronic diseases, which often occurs in old age. In addition, depression can be a manifestation (sometimes the debut) of organic brain damage, for example, Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, cerebrovascular insufficiency, etc.

Memory impairments in anxiety-depressive disorders are most often explained in psychodynamic terms. It is assumed that the basis for insufficient memorization is the inability to switch attention from current psychological experiences to solving current cognitive problems. The inability to concentrate on everyday problems can be so severe that the patient ceases to cope with his professional and everyday responsibilities (“pseudo-dementia”). However, objective disturbances of mnestic function, according to neuropsychological research methods, are absent or minimally expressed and cannot explain the degree of maladjustment. Memory impairments, as a rule, do not affect emotionally charged events. Anxiolytics, in particular benzodiazepines, improve memory and recall of information . This is due to the secondary nature of mnestic disorders in relation to anxiety, since according to their pharmacological properties, benzodiazepines, on the contrary, weaken the processes of registration and consolidation of the memory trace.

The functional nature of memory disorders can be judged on the basis of the above-mentioned features of mnestic disorders and their combination with other symptoms of anxiety and depression. It should be noted, however, that the presence of depression does not mean the absence of organic brain damage. On the contrary, as already noted, emotional disorders are typical of many organic diseases of the central nervous system.

Principles for the management of memory impairment in the elderly

Complaints about memory loss in old age require, first of all, the objectification of cognitive impairment. For this purpose they are used neuropsychological research methods . The following methods are the easiest to use and very informative: a brief study of mental status, a clock drawing test, the Grober and Buschke method in various modifications, memorization and retelling of a short text (for example, “The Jackdaw and the Doves” according to the method of A.R. Luria). To assess the extent of the impact of cognitive disorders on everyday life, a conversation with the patient’s relatives or his colleagues is necessary. If there is objective evidence of cognitive impairment and changes in daily lifestyle as a result of the latter, a diagnosis of dementia is legitimate. It is important to note that when making a diagnosis of dementia, one should not wait for the patient to become severely maladjusted. According to current guidelines, the presence of clinically significant cognitive decline that affects daily life is a sufficient basis for a diagnosis of dementia.

With complaints of forgetfulness, but minimally expressed objective cognitive impairment, as well as in the absence of changes in the usual lifestyle, the diagnosis, according to the ICD-10 recommendations, can be formulated as “mild cognitive impairment”.

Treatment of cognitive impairment both at the stage of mild cognitive impairment and at the stage of dementia, should, if possible, be etiotropic or pathogenetic. However, in all cases the following measures are advisable:

- correction of dysmetabolic disorders , which may cause or aggravate existing mnestic disorders. In some cases, it may be advisable to prescribe ex juvantibus therapy with cyanocobalamin and folic acid. It is important to note that with timely diagnosis and treatment, cognitive impairment of a dysmetabolic nature is reversible;

- treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system . As noted above, vascular damage to the brain has pathogenetic significance both in dyscirculatory encephalopathy and in neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, control of arterial hypertension, hyperlipidemia, administration of antiplatelet agents and other known measures are the pathogenetic treatment of most cases of dementia;

- depression treatment . In the presence of emotional disorders, psychotherapy and psychopharmacotherapy for depression are mandatory measures, regardless of whether cognitive impairment is only psychogenic or emotional disorders are secondary to organic brain damage. In the treatment of depression in elderly people with memory impairment, drugs with anticholinergic properties, such as tricyclic antidepressants, should be avoided. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are more appropriate.

An accurate nosological diagnosis for dementia is based on a thorough analysis of anamnestic, clinical and neuropsychological data, as well as neuroimaging data. To select the optimal treatment, both the nosological affiliation and the severity of dementia, the presence of emotional disorders and other features of the case are important.

For mild or moderate severity of dementia in AD and DLB, the first choice drugs are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors . Today, there is the largest evidence base regarding the effectiveness of drugs in this group. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are effective both against memory impairment and other cognitive functions, and against neuropsychiatric symptoms such as sleep disturbances, hallucinations and delusions. The constant use of drugs of this pharmacological group contributes to a significant increase in the length of time of relative functional independence of patients with asthma. The widespread use of these drugs is somewhat limited by dyspeptic side effects associated with excessive cholinergic activity. If you have depression, these drugs can aggravate its symptoms.

Recent controlled studies conducted in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia indicate that the peptidergic drug cerebrolysin , when administered intravenously in a dose of at least 30 ml, 20 infusions per course, has a beneficial effect on cognitive functions, perhaps not inferior to the effect of acetylcholinergic drugs. The advantageous aspects of using Cerebrolysin include its effectiveness not only in neurodegenerative but also in vascular dementia, good tolerability, and a possible neuroprotective effect.

Glutamatergic drug memantine has a beneficial effect on cognitive functions in AD, as well as in vascular and mixed dementia. According to some data, the symptomatic effect of memantine is more pronounced in more advanced stages of dementia. The neuroprotective effect of the drug is also discussed, associated with a decrease in glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity towards acetylcholinergic neurons.

Standardized drug Ginkgo extract (Tanakan) , with its constant use, contributes to a slower progression of the neurodegenerative process due to its antioxidant properties, the ability to activate the metabolism of brain neurons, improve the rheological properties of blood and microcirculation. The main active ingredients of Tanakan are flavonoid glycosides, terpene substances (ginkgolides A, B, C, bilobalide) and proanthocyanidins. These substances have a multidirectional positive effect on the processes of free radical oxidation, tissue metabolism and microcirculation. Under experimental conditions, it was shown that Tanakan affects neurotransmitter processes in the central nervous system. This is demonstrated by its ability to enhance the release of neurotransmitters from presynaptic nerve terminals, inhibit the reuptake of biogenic amines, and enhance the sensitivity of postsynaptic muscarinic receptors to acetylcholine. All of the above determines the advisability of using Tanakan in the complex treatment of memory and attention disorders in elderly patients.

At the stage of mild cognitive disorders that do not reach the stage of dementia, an accurate nosological diagnosis is not always possible due to the insignificance of neuropsychological symptoms, sometimes only the subjective nature of the disorders. Often, in order to verify the pathological nature of the disorders and clearly determine the nosological affiliation of the case, long-term observation of the patient is necessary. However, the lack of complete confidence in the pathological nature of the disorders and in a specific diagnosis should not be a reason for the doctor’s inaction, since it is at the stage of mild cognitive impairment that pathogenetic therapy has the greatest chance of success.

In addition to the correction of dysmetabolic disorders, treatment of vascular diseases of the brain and depression, for mild cognitive impairment it is advisable to use multimodal drugs that are effective in both degenerative and vascular diseases of the brain and have neuroprotective properties. Today there is positive experience in conducting repeated courses of intravenous infusions cerebrolysin (30-60 ml per 200 ml of saline intravenously, 20 infusions per course, 2 courses per year) and multi-month (possibly many years) administration Tanakana (40-80 mg three times a day).

The question of the advisability of memory training in old age is very controversial. To date, there is no evidence that memory training can prevent or slow the progression of neurodegenerative or vascular disease of the brain. However, with the stationary nature of the disorders, teaching the patient to use certain memorization strategies and increasing the level of attention undoubtedly helps to increase the effectiveness of mnestic activity.

Thus, memory impairment in old age is one of the most pressing medical and social problems. The use of modern diagnostic methods and pharmacotherapy can significantly improve the quality of life of elderly people with cognitive disorders, extend the time of functional independence, and reduce the economic and social burden that falls on patients’ relatives and society as a whole.

Content

Throughout life, a person perceives, accumulates, and retains information. This happens thanks to memory, a complex process that occurs in the central nervous system. Older adults often experience a loss of these functions due to natural aging.

Why does memory deteriorate with age?

Poor cerebral circulation and chronic diseases in older people lead to decreased concentration and weakened mental activity. The loss of figurative, auditory, visual memory is associated with the following processes:

• cell death due to the accumulation of cholesterol plaques;
• insufficient supply of tissues with oxygen and nutritional components;
• slowing down cell regeneration;
• decreased production of substances necessary for brain function.

The causes of memory loss in older people are the following changes in the body:

• disorder of the transmission of nerve impulses as a result of degradation of biochemical processes;
• lack of microelements, vitamins;
• dysfunction of the central nervous system (CNS);
• disruption of metabolic processes in brain tissue;
• mental disorders;
• death of brain cells as a result of infections, injuries, stroke;
• hormonal disorders.

Risk factors for memory loss

In old age, memory problems can occur for many reasons. Risk factors for memory loss include:

• traumatic brain injuries;
• alcohol abuse;
• nervous tension;
• sleep disturbance;
• drug use;
• avitaminosis;
• smoking;
• stress;
• intoxication of the body;
• limited mobility;
• chronic fatigue;
• side effects of medications.

The following diseases lead to an increased likelihood of memory loss in old age:

• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• diabetes;
• atherosclerosis;
• Alzheimer's disease;
• osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
• cerebrovascular accident;
• arterial hypertension;
• Parkinson's disease;
• encephalopathy;
• infectious pathologies;
• brain tumors;
• schizophrenia;
• epilepsy;
• depression.

Types of senile forgetfulness

Asthenic syndrome

Memory problems in older people arise with the development of asthenic syndrome, a psychopathological disorder that is accompanied by the following clinical picture:

• increased irritability;
• insomnia;
• nervousness;
• headache;
• daytime sleepiness;
• absent-mindedness;
• forgetfulness;
• weather dependence;
• weakness;
• blood pressure surges;
• heart rhythm disturbance.

Provoking factors for the appearance of asthenic syndrome in older people can be:

• initial phase of schizophrenia;
• atherosclerosis;
• traumatic brain injury;
• oncological pathologies;
• abscesses;
• meningitis;
• encephalitis;
• viral hepatitis;
• brucellosis;
• heart failure;
• multiple sclerosis;
• arterial hypertension.

Amnesia

In old age, pathological loss of memory about past and current events in life sometimes occurs. This condition is called amnesia. The following factors influence memory loss:

• vascular disorders;
• age-related degenerative processes in the brain;
• tumors;
• vascular dementia;
• brain atrophy;
• diseases of the central nervous system;
• neuroinfections;
• toxic brain damage;
• mental disorders.

Doctors classify amnesia by the presence of the following signs:

Paramnesia

Elderly people are characterized by the appearance of distorted memories, to which their own fantasies are added. This condition is called paramnesia and has several types:

Signs of memory impairment in old age

Symptoms of forgetfulness occur separately or in combination. Experts identify the following signs of memory disorder:

Can forgetfulness be treated in older people?

Rehabilitation therapy is necessary for all patients with amnesia, regardless of the severity of the condition. Partial memory loss in older adults has a favorable prognosis for improvement. Treatment tactics depend on the symptoms and include the following methods:

• taking medications;
• physiotherapy;
• physiotherapy;
• use of folk remedies.

To activate brain functions, improve thinking and memorization, doctors recommend:

• creating a positive attitude when communicating and watching programs;
• performing exercises to train the brain;
• treatment of chronic diseases;
• getting rid of bad habits;
• increased physical activity;
• walk outdoors;
• good sleep;
• solving crossword puzzles;
• development of fine motor skills;
• Reading books;
• learning poetry.

Drug correction of memory

Medicines help improve brain activity and correct impaired functions in old age. Doctors prescribe them individually, taking into account the symptoms and severity of the disease. The following tablets for restoring memory in the elderly are particularly effective:

Folk remedies for improving memory in the elderly

Exercises to activate brain activity

Regular exercise helps prevent memory impairment. Classes restore the ability to think, remember, and increase concentration.

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Memory impairment is a pathological condition characterized by the inability to fully remember and use received information. According to statistics, about a quarter of the world's population suffers from memory impairment of varying degrees. The most pronounced and most common problem is faced by older people; they may experience both episodic and permanent memory impairment.

Causes of memory impairment

There are quite a lot of factors and reasons affecting the quality of information assimilation, and they are not always associated with disorders caused by age-related changes. The main reasons include:

Memory decline in older people

Complete or partial memory loss accompanies 50 to 75% of all older people. The most common cause of this problem is deterioration of blood circulation in the vessels of the brain caused by age-related changes. In addition, in the process of structure, changes affect all structures of the body, including metabolic functions in neurons, on which the ability to perceive information directly depends. Also, memory impairment in old age can be the cause of a serious pathology such as Alzheimer's disease.

Symptoms in older people begin with forgetfulness. Then problems arise with short-term memory, when a person forgets events that just happened to him. Such conditions often lead to depression, fears and self-doubt.

During the normal aging process of the body, even in extreme old age, memory loss does not occur to such an extent that it could affect the normal rhythm. Memory function declines very slowly and does not lead to its complete loss. But in cases where there are pathological abnormalities in the functioning of the brain, older people may suffer from such a problem. In this case, supportive treatment is required, otherwise the condition may develop into senile dementia, as a result of which the patient loses the ability to remember even basic data necessary in everyday life.

It is possible to slow down the process of memory deterioration, but this issue should be addressed in advance, long before old age. The main prevention of dementia in old age is considered to be mental work and a healthy lifestyle.

Disorders in children

Not only older people, but also children can face the problem of memory impairment. This may be due to deviations, often mental, that arose in the uterine period. Genetic diseases, in particular Down syndrome, play an important role in congenital memory problems.

In addition to a congenital defect, there may also be acquired disorders. They are caused by:

Short-term memory problems

Our memory consists of short-term and long-term. Short-term allows us to assimilate the information that we receive at the moment; this process lasts from a few seconds to a day. Short-term memory has a small volume, so over a short period of time, the brain makes a decision to move the received information to long-term storage or erase it as unnecessary.

For example, information about when you cross the road and look around, you see a silver car moving in your direction. This information is important exactly until you cross the road to stop and wait for a car to pass, but after that there is no need for this episode, and the information is erased. Another situation is when you met a person and learned his name and remembered his general appearance. This information will remain in memory for a longer period, for how long it will depend on whether you have to see this person again or not, but it can be retained even after a one-time meeting for years.

Short-term memory is vulnerable and is the first to suffer when pathological conditions develop that can affect it. When it is violated, a person’s learning ability decreases, forgetfulness and the inability to concentrate on a particular object are observed. At the same time, a person can remember well what happened to him a year or even a decade ago, but cannot remember what he did or thought about a couple of minutes ago.

Short-term memory loss is often observed with schizophrenia, senile dementia and with the use of drugs or alcohol. But there may be other causes of this condition, in particular tumors in the brain structures, injuries and even chronic fatigue syndrome.

Symptoms of memory impairment can develop either instantly, for example, after an injury, or arise gradually as a result of schizophrenia or age-related changes.

Memory and schizophrenia

Patients with schizophrenia have a history of many intellectual disabilities. Organic damage to brain structures is absent in schizophrenia, but despite this, dementia develops as the disease progresses, which is accompanied by loss of short-term memory.

In addition, people with schizophrenia have impaired associative memory and the ability to concentrate. It all depends on the form of schizophrenia; in many cases, memory is retained for a long time and its impairment occurs years or even decades later against the background of developing dementia. An interesting fact is that people with schizophrenia have a kind of “double memory”; they may not remember certain memories at all, but despite this they can clearly remember other episodes from life.

Memory and stroke

In the case of a stroke, when a blood vessel is blocked by a blood clot, many people suffer.
functions. Often, the consequences of this condition include memory loss and motor and speech disorders. After such a condition, people may remain paralyzed, the right or left side of the body is taken away, facial expressions are distorted due to atrophy of nerve endings, and much more.

Regarding memory, in the first time after a stroke, complete amnesia may be observed for all events that occurred before the onset of the disease. With extensive strokes, total amnesia can be observed, when patients cannot recognize even the people closest to them.

As a rule, despite the seriousness of the pathology, with proper rehabilitation, the patient’s memory in most cases returns, almost completely.

Therapeutic actions

Memory loss or its deterioration is always a secondary process caused by one or another pathological process. Therefore, in order to prescribe appropriate treatment, one must initially identify the cause that led to such consequences and treat it directly. Further memory correction occurs during treatment of the underlying disease. To restore memory functions you need:

• treatment of the primary disease;
• drug therapy to improve brain activity;
• balanced diet;
• rejection of bad habits;
• performing special exercises aimed at developing memory.

As a medical treatment, nootropic drugs are prescribed to improve thinking and brain metabolism. The most common nootropic medication is piracetam. Among herbal remedies, bilobil is used; it indirectly affects metabolism in the brain and, as a rule, is well tolerated.

The diet should be designed in such a way that it contains a sufficient amount of acids, B vitamins, and magnesium.

Note! For any pathological changes, only a doctor should prescribe treatment; uncontrolled use of nootropic drugs can aggravate the situation.

If you want to maintain a good memory for many years and not feel the discomfort associated with excessive forgetfulness even in late old age, it is important to deal with this issue from your youth. By following a healthy lifestyle, watching your diet, getting enough sleep, giving up bad habits and engaging in self-education, you can achieve significant results in improving not only memory, but also thinking, attention and intelligence.

Reading strengthens neural connections:

Memory and memories

Many people know the humorous statement of the American writer Mark Twain: “A great disease is sclerosis: there is so much news every day!” But in fact, memory loss is not funny at all and causes an elderly person a lot of problems and worries. And sclerosis is just one of the causes of memory loss in the elderly. Most often we have to talk about impaired cerebral circulation as the main cause of forgetfulness.

Memory loss in old age is quite common, so it has become quite commonplace, but it brings a lot of trouble both to the old man himself and to his relatives. Human memory itself, the mechanisms of remembering and storing information, is an insufficiently studied ability of the human brain, even in modern science. Memory as a brain activity can periodically fail both in young people and in people of advanced age. Memory is a fundamental factor in human activity, connecting three time dimensions (past, present and future). It is the determining mechanism in human development in childhood and ensures full functioning in adulthood and old age.

Why do older people experience memory lapses?

Memory loss in older people is a kind of memory loss, which is usually characterized by loss of short-term memory. An elderly person is usually excellent and in great detail ready to talk about the memories of childhood, youth, middle age, but may absolutely not remember where he put his glasses, wallet, documents or phone 5 minutes ago.

Senile memory loss, common in older people, has many potential causes. These include age-related changes in the brain, diseases accumulated over the years that affect central nervous activity, and diseases characteristic of old age. Scientists note that memory problems in older age are often caused by a change in the rhythm of life and a narrowing of the scope of activity. There is evidence that with age, memory weakens by 20-40% due to changes that occur in the body itself during aging and in the person’s environment. Unfortunately, memory loss in older people, even with adequate treatment, will still occur due to irreversible age-related functional changes. You should not place unreasonable hopes on complete memory recovery. But comprehensive treatment, good care, creating the most comfortable living conditions, surrounded by the care and attention of others, can improve memory, stop the development of deterioration, and also maintain a fairly comfortable quality of life for an elderly person.

What factors contribute to memory loss?

What can be the cause of memory loss in old age, which is why memory loss suddenly occurs in the elderly - let's look at the results of many years of research by gerontologists, doctors and scientists. For example, based on the physiological characteristics of the body of an elderly person, during normal, normal aging, these could be:

1. Fatigue – both physiological and psychological;
2. Changes in sensory functions (vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch) and decreased ability to perceive;
3. Decreased concentration due to age-related changes;
4. The influence of external factors, interference that can interfere with memory function;
5. Heredity;
6. Chronic diseases of any nature;
7. Brain injuries, pathologies of circulatory disorders;
8. Simultaneously combining several tasks (excessively busy activities) leads not only to forgetfulness, but also to stress and cardiovascular diseases;
9. Lack of learning processes, obtaining new information that activates memory;
10. Side effects of medications that cause drowsiness and confusion;
11. Haste and fussiness, the desire to do “everything at once”;
12. Stress that evokes emotional and psychosocial changes (for example, due to relocation, retirement, loneliness, loss of loved ones, depression, despair, helplessness, etc.).

Memory impairment begins from the moment when, for example, a person cannot remember the events that just happened, and, as a rule, such forgetfulness manifests itself in minor episodes: a person loses objects and forgets why he entered the room. Later, missed meetings and broken promises are added to these little things. Symptoms are not the same for everyone, so only a doctor can correctly recognize the onset of the disease and prescribe the correct treatment. Pathological memory damage in older age, as a rule, leads to mild, moderate and severe dementia, which is accompanied by about 50-60% of cases of Alzheimer's disease (with this disease, the amount of acetylcholine in the brain, necessary for memory functioning, is greatly reduced).

Unfortunately, doctors note the “rejuvenation” of dementia in our time: it is increasingly found in people aged 40-50 years.

Memory impairment in old age requires maximum patience and care from those around the elderly. A person prone to temporary memory loss needs to put a piece of paper in his pocket with his full name and residential address. This in some cases can even save his life.

Signs of memory deterioration:

There is a whole complex of signs that allows us to draw a clear line between memory impairment, as a disease, and simple everyday absent-mindedness:

1. problems in fulfilling various kinds of promises and agreements;
2. the occurrence of difficulties in ordinary everyday activities;
3. severe disturbances in speech: incorrect construction of phrases, inconsistency in speech, difficulty in constructing sentences;
4. significant decrease in concentration;
5. a sharp and strong change in handwriting;
6. constant tension, short temper and irritability, even for no apparent reason;
7. a sharp narrowing of the circle of interests;
8. unusually rapid fatigue;
9. depression, depression, dominance of depressed mood.

Age alone does not guarantee that a person will experience age-related memory loss. A decrease in the acuity of perception and thinking begins at the age of 45 and is expressed to varying degrees. Minor memory impairments may be due to slower processing speed, but this is not a cause for alarm.

Can't be prevented, slowed down?

All experts call for prevention, and the problem of memory in the elderly is being actively studied all over the world. Older people without signs of dementia need to support and train their memory. Compensation for the above factors can improve memory capabilities during aging. You need to train your attention, limit external interference, relearn how to structure what you see, hear, read for easier memorization, etc.

Experts consider acquiring new knowledge to be the best way to prevent forgetfulness. Also, creative activities, reading, learning foreign languages, mastering new computer and technical innovations - using bank cards, learning to work on the Internet, and also, if possible, continuing professional activities will help maintain memory in a normal state.

In general, gerontologists argue that memory is improved by all types of activity - physical, mental and social. Factors such as developed intelligence, heredity, general activity, adequate diet, memory training, and a healthy lifestyle also matter. According to gerontologists, memory is worsened by everything that does not improve it.

Negatively affect memory and stress. In the family, older people are often subject to stress, violence, and shouting, which further aggravates their memory disorders. Stress has a very strong impact on any person, but it affects the elderly more strongly, since it seriously impairs his adaptive properties.