Memory Loss Essay

In times past many people thought that memory loss was a normal occurrence for elderly people. This thinking was major reason for why Alzheimer’s disease was not caught until very later in the stages. Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. After heart disease, cancer, and strokes, Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of death in adults in the Western world. “It is estimated that 4.5 million Americans over the age of 65 are affected with this condition. After the age of 65, the incidence of the disease doubles every five years and, by age 85, it will affect nearly half of the population” (Robinson).

The most common cause of dementia among mature adults is Alzheimer’s disease. “On a cognitive level, the principal hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease is memory decline, i.e. an impaired ability to acquire and remember new episodic information (El Haz,2016). Furthermore, one of the most cause of dementia in older adults is Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia similarly begins to interfere with the person’s daily

Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory and it is not a normal part of aging, “Although the greatest risk factor is increasing age” (Alzheimer’s Association). Even though our memory begins to deteriorate when we are growing older we don’t necessarily forget we get the “tip of the tongue” effect where we are ale to recollect our memories unlike those with Alzheimer’s.

In short, memory loss is one of the scariest parts of aging. Not every occurrence of forgetfulness is something to be alarmed about, though. And, even if the memory loss seems to be more than the occasional senior moment, there are many factors other than dementia that could be at play. Regardless of the cause

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. “Dementia is a general term that describes a group of symptoms-such as loss of memory, judgment, language, complex motor skills, and other intellectual function-caused by the permanent damage or death of the brain 's nerve cells, or neurons.” Alzheimer’s is not a part of aging even though increasing age is a risk factor but Alzheimer’s occurs in people 65 and older. Alzheimer’s worsens over time. In the early stages memory is lost and then gradually goes to where they can’t hold a conversation or remember their surroundings.

Some people live to be 100 and are still alert and in control of all their functions!! So to answer the question, is dementia normal? Should we all be afraid that the longer we live, the less capable we will be in living life? The answer is no. “Progressive severe loss of memory-routinely forgetting conversations or that one ate at a particular restaurant-and impaired thinking abilities are not a normal part of aging. Rather, such problems may be signs of a dementia-loss of brain functions due to an organic cause. Dementia is a generic term that includes a host of symptoms related to brain failure. There are several causes of dementia, but Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause.” (Kuhn, 1999. p.11)

A topic I learned more of this semester in regards to the older population was dementia. Some loss in memory function is an inevitable consequence of aging, and as one ages, it takes more time to process information and retrieve memories. However, "Dementia is a general term that refers to progressive, degenerative brain dysfunction, including deterioration in memory, concentration, language skills, visuospatial skills, and reasoning, that interferes with a person's daily functioning" (Mauk, 2014, p. 377). This loss of mental skills affects the ability to function over time, causing problems with memory and how one thinks, impacting these individual's overall quality of life.

Studies have shown that consuming certain foods may help keep the brain healthy and others could damage it. The article “Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease: What Do We Know?” (2016), observes how having a Mediterranean diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, little amount of red meat, fish, olive oil, low amounts of saturated fats, dairy products, and poultry, is known to reduce the rate of cognitive decline (2016). The AA Research Center poses another diet that has been studied to try reducing cognitive decline: DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) (Science and Progress: Prevention section, 2016 para. 7). DASH is similar to a Mediterranean diet in which it “emphasizes vegetables, fruits, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils” (AA: Science and Progress: Prevention section, 2016, para. 7). Therefore, diets with more vegetables, whole grains, and less saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, sodium, sweets, and red meats can increase the prevention of Alzheimer’s

Countless studies on rats have been carried out, and the diets that were supplemented with moringa leaves. This experiment was done before the rats were exposed to colchicines, a substance that is similar to and mimics the behavior of Alzheimer’s in the brain. Even when there was an obvious presence of this substance in the brain, the rats were able to retain the majority of their cognitive

In fact, there are five natural ingredients that are natural brain boosters that everyone should incorporate

Almost everyone has experienced the situation where he sees someone familiar, but cannot think of that person’s name, or he has shopped in a mall and cannot remember where the car is parked. Anyone over the age of sixty-five would probably panic, fearing that he has Alzheimer’s disease, since age is a huge risk factor related to memory loss. He may ask himself, “Is something wrong with me, or am I just getting old?” Much of our population is terrified of developing Alzheimer’s disease or of watching a loved one slowly and gradually fade away. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is when the brain loses the ability to function mostly in keeping short-term memories, progressing to lack of cognitive function, and eventually causing death (Atkins, 2008, pp. 3).

Dr. Alzheimer discovered that it’s in fact more than just an abnormality of the brain but cerebrovascular risk factors that contributes to Alzheimer’s disease (Chinthapalli, 2014). While older age is one of the causing factors of dementia, gradual cognitive decline in those in their 60s rather their 90s is when Alzheimer’s is viewed as the cause of memory decline.

Memory loss in elderly people is the fourth leading cause of death in elderly people; there are around 4 to 5 million Americans and more than 8 million people all over the world have been suffering from this disease. So, what is dementia in the elderly people? The disease is called Alzheimer's disease (AD) which is a disorder characterized by memory impairment and yet disorders in reasoning, planning, speaking, and understanding.

In many cases mild age-related memory loss is considered normal, but more severe memory impairments are not.

Advancing age is commonly associated with loss of memory. The inability to maintain both short term and long term memory is serious. Learning new things or remembering familiar words and names can be quite daunting.