Memory is the specific processes of organizing, storing past experience for the purpose of using it in the future or returning to the sphere of consciousness. Memory is the most important factor that connects the three times of a person: past, present and future. It is also a critical cognitive function that underlies human learning and development.
According to memory research, it can be argued that it is present at all levels of life and is not only a process of preserving and transmitting experience, but also transmitting information of a hereditary nature.
Memory processes are memorization, storage of received material, its reproduction and forgetting. There are many types of memory: short-term, operational, long-term, autobiographical, reproductive, associative, reconstructive, episodic, verbal-logical, motor, figurative, emotional, implicit, internal, external, motor.
Thus, memory is a reflection of reality, its consolidation, preservation and reproduction of the experience gained. This is where its importance lies. After all, these seemingly logical functions are vital for humans.
What it is
Unlike amnesia, when some moments from childhood or yesterday are partially forgotten, memory lapses are the inability to reproduce a certain period of time (usually a short one), which occurs absolutely spontaneously under the influence of some specific factor. It resembles a painting from which a certain fragment has been torn out.
If memory loss occurs gradually, then with failures everything happens abruptly and spontaneously. A striking example is waking up after heavy alcohol intoxication, when you don’t remember anything the next morning, or when a patient wakes up after anesthesia. Loss can also be unexpected, but experts say that it concerns multiple moments and sometimes a person can partially remember something. In case of failure, this is almost impossible without specialized help. The line between these concepts is quite thin, and only doctors should understand these nuances.
What are the causes of memory lapses? First of all, with the destruction of neural connections, damage to the central nervous system and impaired cerebral circulation. And their occurrence, in turn, is provoked by other factors.
Why does memory deteriorate?
- Alcohol, or rather its abuse, is the main factor leading to a deterioration in the blood supply to the gray matter and a weakening of cerebral vascular tone. It’s not even worth mentioning Professor Zhdanov with his contradictory statements; you can just look at the ability to think in a drunk person or someone who has just sobered up. As a rule, such a person’s memory is partially switched off altogether for a period of intoxicated fun.
- Poor nutrition is a factor that can be ranked second in importance, after alcohol abuse. An unbalanced diet is no less dangerous than alcohol abuse! Deficiency of magnesium, calcium, fatty acids and other elements leads to decreased brain performance. Excess glucose, cholesterol, unhealthy fats - all this impairs blood supply to the brain and slows down the growth of neural connections.
- Smoking is a factor that provokes premature aging of the brain and leads to deterioration of blood supply. Due to regular intoxication with nicotine smoke, the walls of blood vessels weaken, blockage occurs, and certain areas of the brain suffer from a lack of oxygen and nutrients.
- Sleep deficiency plays an equally important role in brain health. Lack of sleep in the long term leads to a reduction in neural connections, low intellectual productivity and poor memory. In order to notice how lack of sleep affects the brain, it is enough to allow yourself to not get enough sleep at least once - the next day all mental tasks will seem prohibitively difficult, forgetfulness and absent-mindedness will appear. In the long term, this phenomenon becomes chronic.
- Frequent infectious diseases also negatively affect a person’s mental potential and lead to deterioration of brain activity. Therefore, it is important to strengthen your immune system and protect yourself from hypothermia.
All these factors together can provoke a serious disruption of the central nervous system and, in the long term, with age, lead to deterioration in memory, quality of life and other negative consequences.
Causes
Memory loss occurs due to a sharp deterioration in physical health (the development of various diseases), mental problems or due to an unhealthy lifestyle.
Physiological:
- alcoholism, drug addiction,
- prolonged hypoxia, tumors, cerebral edema,
- infections affecting the nervous system and brain,
- anesthesia,
- osteochondrosis - pinched cervical vertebrae lead to impaired cerebral circulation,
- pathologies of the nervous system (Recklinghausen's, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's diseases), age-related changes (in older people) - necrosis of brain receptors develops,
- damage to the immune system, diabetes mellitus - blood vessels are damaged, which leads to impaired cerebral circulation,
- taking sedatives, sleeping pills, statins, steroids and other powerful drugs - reduces cognitive abilities,
- problems with blood circulation (especially atherosclerosis, tachycardia, aneurysm, hypertension) - oxygen access to brain cells is limited,
- thyrotoxicosis - cognitive abilities decrease,
- brain surgery,
- TBI, post-traumatic complications - neural connections are disrupted.
Psychological:
- strong mental stress,
- prolonged nervous and emotional stress, shock,
- constant lack of sleep, poor sleep, insomnia for a long time,
- CFS,
- stressful situation, psychotraumatic factor.
Short-term failures of several hours most often occur:
- after alcohol,
- after a stroke,
- after anesthesia,
- after fainting,
- after an attack of high blood pressure,
- after a migraine attack,
- after stress, prolonged depression, severe emotional shock,
- after hitting his head,
- after surgery in the temple area.
Read more about what causes memory impairments in a separate review.
Causes of amnesia in young and adults
In young and adult people, the causes of memory loss are associated with the appearance of various health disorders, among which we can mention:
- Cancer: Having a brain tumor can cause memory loss due to the damage the tumor masses cause to brain structures.
- Depression: Patients who suffer from depression often have memory problems due to poor ability to concentrate and retain information. In addition, impaired visual memory leads to problems with orientation in space.
- Viral infections: In some cases, viral infections such as meningitis (an infection that affects the meninges) can cause damage to brain cells, thereby leading to memory loss.
- Thyroid diseases: Some thyroid diseases, such as autoimmune thyroiditis or hypothyroidism, may cause mnemonic problems. In the first case, memory loss may be associated with the action of autoantibodies, and in the second case, with a slowdown in vital functions.
- Multiple sclerosis: This is a pathology in which there is a loss of myelin (the substance that forms the protective sheath of nerve fibers). One of the symptoms is also memory loss if neurons in the areas of the brain responsible for memory are affected.
- Diabetes: People with diabetes may suffer from memory problems due to two different mechanisms. The first is frequent hypoglycemic crises (i.e. low blood sugar levels), which sometimes cause loss of consciousness, immediately followed by memory loss due to a lack of carbohydrates supplied to the brain. The second mechanism is associated with excess sugar in the blood, which can lead to vascular problems: all the blood vessels of the body, including the brain, are destroyed under the influence of excessive concentrations of sugars, which can lead to brain damage and memory impairment.
Associated symptoms
If memory lapses appear, you need to monitor your own well-being, since the body itself will tell you what happened with the help of various symptoms.
If the reasons are psychological:
- migraine,
- sleep disorders,
- panic attacks,
- changes in mood: tendency to manipulate, suspicion, pathological jealousy, selfishness, aggression,
- mood swings,
- intellectual disorder
- decreased concentration and intelligence,
- twilight confusion,
- tachycardia.
If the cause is intoxication of the body from alcohol or drugs:
- aggression, irritability,
- headache,
- dizziness,
- profuse sweating,
- vomit,
- drowsiness,
- nausea.
If the cause is pathology of brain structures, head injury, head contusion:
- ataxia,
- headache,
- dizziness,
- fainting,
- vomit,
- nausea.
Sometimes memory lapses are not accompanied by anything like that. This only means that the provoking factor is hidden somewhere deep inside. It needs to be pulled out through laboratory diagnostics or hypnosis.
Classification
Failures can be:
- regressive - temporary, which are subsequently restored,
- progressive - long-term, ending in deep amnesia,
- stationary, strong - without the possibility of recovery,
- fixation - affect only those events that have just happened,
- pseudo-reminiscence - replacing forgotten memories with unreal, invented ones.
If the failures are short-term, small (loss of memories in a short period of time), with timely treatment the prognosis is favorable. If they cover a fairly long period, it sometimes takes years to restore information, and this is not guaranteed.
Brain training and memory skills
Experts answering the question: how to restore memory, say that it needs to be trained regularly. Moreover, those who are horrified by such a procedure do it completely in vain. After all, the training is quite simple and does not require any special effort.
So an excellent option, which can be characterized as treatment, is the usual memorization of texts. Prose, poetry - it doesn’t matter at all what exactly you try to remember. However, it is worth understanding that simple memorization is not enough here. The text must be carefully read, broken down into images, thought about, evaluated, and given certain anchors to these images. Then memorization will go faster and better.
You can also treat memory with associations. The principle of this method is quite simple. We must act as in the fairy tale about the rainbow and the hunter, when each color is assigned a specific word. This method is good for memorizing rules, mathematical formulas (for example, Pythagorean pants illustrate this technique very well) and much more. It is entirely possible to use both ready-made association options and select your own.
- How to restore memory: working recipes. Simple, reliable, effective. Memory like when I was young!
An excellent solution to the problem would be the photography method. It is enough to sit down, relax, choose an object and look at it intently for about 5 seconds. For the next 5 seconds, close your eyes and bring to mind the image that you just “photographed.” It is best to perform treatment with this method several times a day, choosing different objects to remember.
You can also treat memory gaps with the help of smells. Scientists have long proven that smell is one of the most powerful memory tools. With its help, it is quite possible to recall even the deepest memories. So, scientists say that if you study certain information and at the same time inhale a certain aroma, for example, toothpaste, and then take it with you to the exam and inhale a little, this will trigger active memories.
Age and gender characteristics
In teenagers
The most common causes of memory loss in adolescents are:
- bruises and head injuries,
- neuroinfections (encephalitis, meningitis),
- epilepsy,
- congenital diseases,
- puberty (too powerful hormonal changes),
- stress due to unhappy love, internal complexes, failures in studies, failure to pass exams, unfavorable psychological atmosphere in the family,
- adoption of bad habits: many become dependent on alcohol, nicotine or drugs in adolescence.
Drug treatment at such a young age is rarely used, if only weak sedatives. The main focus of therapy is normalizing lifestyle and eliminating the root cause.
Among women
Memory loss in young girls may be associated with changes in hormonal levels or menstrual irregularities. Early introduction to alcohol and drugs 100% leads to similar disorders.
In young women they occur due to pregnancy and postpartum depression. But most often they occur due to stress, since women are more sensitive to experiences of various kinds.
In older women, similar problems are observed after menopause, when almost all cognitive abilities weaken: attention is scattered, intelligence decreases.
In such situations, experts recommend normalizing hormonal levels and restoring mental balance.
In men
In young men, such problems usually arise due to lifestyle: drinking alcohol on a regular basis, due to traumatic brain injuries, drug addiction, lack of sleep. If all this is not stopped in time, then it will be too late: this can lead to deeper and irreversible amnesia. Recently, more and more often such cases are diagnosed in 30-year-olds.
Memory lapses: 8 reasons for forgetfulness
Today almost everyone complains about memory problems. But it’s one thing if, for example, you often can’t remember where you left your gloves or where you put your cell phone. And it’s quite another thing if you are unable to recall the events of last Tuesday, or even yesterday.
Another dangerous symptom that indicates the presence of serious concomitant diseases is great difficulty when trying to retain information that has just been received in your head. Well, just like in the joke:
- Doctor, I have blackouts. – And how often do you have them? – What often? - Failures, sick, failures. – What failures?
Alas, in life similar situations look rather sad. Most often, memory impairment occurs due to the following ailments:
1. Head injuries . The more severe the injury, the worse the memory. And serious traumatic brain injuries are characterized not only by memory impairment, but also by its loss (amnesia). Against this background, even confabulations (false memories) and hallucinations appear.
Details . The beginning of the process of memory deterioration, as well as the appearance of hallucinations, coincides in time with the head injury.
What to do? Contact a neurologist and get an MRI of the brain.
2. Mental disorders . For example, Korsakoff's syndrome, in which the ability to remember current events is impaired (fixation amnesia) with relatively intact memory for the past.
Details . There is a violation of orientation in time, place and environment. False memories may appear.
Diagnostics
Which doctor should I contact if I have memory loss? A neurologist deals with this problem. To make an accurate diagnosis and identify the provoking factor, he uses the following laboratory and instrumental diagnostics:
- physical examination: palpation, percussion, auscultation,
- collection of general and family history,
- general clinical blood and urine tests,
- blood biochemistry,
- EEG, CT, MRI,
- CT and MR angiography.
Special testing is also carried out to determine the following points:
- Test for the volume of auditory, photographic and motor memory: the patient must remember a certain number of words spoken, illustrations shown, movements seen.
- Test for the level of semantic memory: the patient is read a text, and he must retell what he heard.
- Test for the depth of impairment: the ability to retain and reproduce information is revealed not only at the moment, but also in an hour or the next day.
After clarifying the diagnosis, the neurologist may prescribe a consultation with another, more specialized specialist to correct the therapeutic course. This depends either on the nature of the underlying disease (after a stroke, the supervising doctor will be a cardiologist, for diabetes - an endocrinologist, etc.), or on the consequences that have already manifested themselves after failures (psychotherapists and psychiatrists most often work with them).
Memory types
The types of memory are:
- visual (visual);
- auditory;
- verbal-logistical;
- emotional, when a person is able to remember many moments against the backdrop of emotions and experiences for the rest of his life;
- genetic, some aspects of thinking can be passed on to new generations;
- motor;
- muscle due to prolonged physical activity, which resulted in the restructuring of cells and muscles.
Treatment
Therapy is aimed primarily at treating the underlying disease that led to memory loss. In addition, work is being carried out in other directions.
- Prescription of medications: vascular, anticholinesterase, neuroprotective, nootropic, tonic, biostimulating, antioxidant.
- Vitamin therapy. Usually these are injections of B vitamins.
- Psychiatric or psychotherapeutic treatment, which may include hypnosis, cognitive behavioral and creative therapy, psychoanalysis.
- Manual therapy, acupuncture, therapeutic massage.
- Therapeutic physiotherapeutic procedures: electro- and ultraphonophoresis, magnetic and diadynamic therapy, electroneuro- and electromyostimulation.
- Balneotherapy: air, sun and mud baths.
The most commonly prescribed medications are:
- for age-related changes, for Alzheimer's disease for the elderly: Exelon, Donepezil, Galantamine, Aricept, Rivastigmine, Reminyl, Akatinol memantine,
- to improve brain function: Glycine, Noopept, Phenotropil, Nootropil, Vitrum Memory, Piracetam, Encephabol, Aminalon, Intellan,
- homeopathy: Cerebrum compositum, Golden iodine, Memoria, Polymnesin.
With the permission of the doctor, in addition to the main course of treatment, folk remedies can be used - decoctions and infusions of tonic, restorative and vascular-cleansing herbs. These are eleutherococcus, Rhodiola rosea, ginseng, thyme.
It is not always possible to restore failures even after undergoing a full course of treatment from an experienced doctor. This happens if their cause is an incurable or advanced serious disease (oncology, Pick's or Alzheimer's diseases, epilepsy, diabetes mellitus). In such situations, the main goal of therapy becomes to prevent the loss of remaining memory or at least delay it.
How to help a person?
If symptoms of partial memory loss interfere with activities, effective treatment is required. Of course, the causative agent of amnesia must first be determined. As a treatment, experts prescribe antioxidants, vitamin B, glycine, cortexin, memantine and other drugs to improve brain function and memory. In some cases, neuropsychological rehabilitation is required to restore important functions.
To make treatment more effective, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle, rationally distribute work and rest time, get enough sleep, spend more time in the fresh air, exercise, and eat a varied diet. Such measures will relieve unpleasant symptoms and reduce the likelihood of adverse consequences after treatment.
Additional recommendations
After diagnosing and prescribing the main course of treatment, the doctor tells you what to do in case of memory loss at home. General instructions, without taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient, boil down to the following points.
- Follow all prescriptions and recommendations of the attending physician.
- Practice mnemonics and neuroscience.
- Walk more, do breathing exercises (to improve cerebral circulation).
- Don't drink alcohol, quit smoking.
- Adhere to a special diet, the basis of which is only healthy foods (lean meat, fish, seafood, dairy products, nuts, herbs, fruits, vegetables, eggs, bran, honey).
- Don't worry, take care of your nervous system.
- Follow the regime.
- Get enough sleep.
- Exercise moderately, having agreed on a training program with your doctor.
- Train mental abilities: read, solve puzzles and crosswords, perform special exercises.
Herbs that improve memory
There are many ways to support the functioning of the central nervous system and improve memory. One of the unconventional methods is the use of herbal infusions and tinctures that nourish the brain, stimulate the regeneration of nerve cells, and regulate the healthy processes of the formation of neural connections.
The most effective herbs for memory, improving brain function and increasing the ability to remember - below.
Ginseng
Ginseng is an oriental plant with a multi-year development cycle. Saponins and flavonoids in this plant are combined with a successful complex of alkaloids and supplemented with a huge number of microelements that improve the functioning of the central nervous system.
In addition, ginseng is a powerful adaptogen and a nervous system stimulant. Most often it is used in the form of an alcohol tincture, which is prepared from the underground part - the root of the plant. Consuming ginseng for 30 days gives the following results:
- improves memory;
- increases the ability to concentrate;
- slows down oxidative processes and brain aging;
- restores blood supply to tissues;
- activates cell regeneration.
In addition, ginseng has a pronounced diuretic effect, which means that during use you will have to increase the amount of fluid consumed. It is important to avoid even mild dehydration, otherwise the effect of the herbal remedy will be insignificant.
Heather
Heather grass has a lot of useful properties and after the first uses you can notice a noticeable effect. Useful properties of the plant:
- produces a neuroprotective effect;
- improves blood supply to the brain;
- activates the production of hormones responsible for recovery;
- suppresses the production of stress hormones;
- relieves spasms of cerebral vessels;
- relaxes.
Heather is drunk in a course in the form of herbal infusions or as part of a stimulating tea. It can be taken once if you need increased brain activity. Can be taken as a course for 21 days. The recipe is simple - 1 teaspoon requires 250 ml of boiling water. Pour, leave, and divide the resulting infusion into 3 doses. Prepare fresh product every day.
Red rowan
Red rowan, or rather only its fruits, have a pronounced neuroprotective effect. This is a product that protects against oxidative stress, prevents the development of atherosclerosis, improves nutrition and oxygen supply. In addition, rowan contains several types of sugar, which is a source of energy to meet the needs of the brain. Red rowan produces the following medicinal effects:
- improves concentration and memory;
- restores sleep by enhancing melatonin production;
- prevents premature aging of the brain;
- stimulates brain activity, improving intellectual capabilities.
To get all the effects described above, you should take red rowan every day for 20-25 days. The simplest and most effective recipe is to eat 1 teaspoon of fruit, ground with sugar, 2 times a day. If you store the product in the refrigerator, you can prepare the entire course at once - it will not spoil.
Spinach
This herb for memory spinach contains several dozen active substances that nourish the nervous system and protect it from overload. This culture should definitely be included in the diet for those whose activities involve regular mental stress.
Even if you cannot regularly include spinach in your diet, it is recommended to periodically take it as a herbal remedy to obtain the following results:
- improvement of blood supply;
- strengthening neural connections;
- restoration of stress-damaged cells;
- stimulation of brain activity;
- normalization of hormonal levels.
Consequences
Without treatment and following medical recommendations, memory loss can end very badly. The most common consequences:
- deeper and more long-term amnesia,
- disability,
- inability to self-care,
- diffidence,
- maladaptation in society,
- death of brain cells
- gradual loss of cognitive skills: decreased mental abilities and concentration, impoverished imagination,
- loss of spatial orientation,
- development of psychological complexes,
- decreased quality of life,
- severe mental disorders.
Natural remedies for memory restoration
Natural remedies can be used not only to restore memory, but also to strengthen it for preventive purposes.
Ginkgo biloba: contains active ingredients such as terpene derivatives and bioflavonoids, which improve blood circulation, especially microcirculation, including in the blood vessels of the brain. This enhances memory and concentration capabilities. It can be taken in capsule form and the dosage varies depending on the case.
Rosemary: contains essential oils such as pinene and limonene, flavonoids, rosmarinic acids. To improve memory and concentration, it should be used in the form of aromatic oil to scent the home or handkerchiefs.
Sage: contains saponisides, tannins, choline and essential oils that act at the level of the cerebral cortex, improving concentration and memory. It should be taken in the form of capsules containing sage oil, the dosage varies depending on the case.
Almonds: Rich in minerals such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and potassium, they are an excellent remedy for mental problems under conditions of nutritional deprivation or stress.
Calamus: Contains active ingredients such as β-asarone, calamol and calamus camphor. Improves memory thanks to properties that improve vascular microcirculation. It is used in the form of essential oil, but due to toxicity, the dosage regimen must be prescribed by a doctor.
