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Amnesia definition psychology


Amnesia - Symptoms and causes

Overview

Amnesia refers to the loss of memories, including facts, information and experiences. Movies and television tend to depict amnesia as forgetting your identity, but that's not generally the case in real life.

Instead, people with amnesia — also called amnestic syndrome — usually know who they are. But they may have trouble learning new information and forming new memories.

Amnesia can be caused by damage to areas of the brain that are vital for memory processing. Unlike a temporary episode of memory loss, called transient global amnesia, amnesia can be permanent.

There's no specific treatment for amnesia, but treatment can be directed at the underlying cause. Tips to help enhance memory and get support can help people with amnesia and their families cope.

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Symptoms

The two main features of amnesia are:

  • Trouble learning new information.
  • Trouble remembering past events and previously familiar information.

Most people with amnesia have problems with short-term memory, so they can't retain new information. Recent memories are most likely to be lost. More-remote or deeply ingrained memories may be spared.

For example, people may recall experiences from childhood or know the names of past presidents. But they may not be able to name the current president, know the month or remember what they ate for breakfast.

Isolated memory loss doesn't affect a person's intelligence, general knowledge, awareness or attention span. It also doesn't affect judgment, personality or identity. People with amnesia usually can understand written and spoken words and can learn skills such as bike riding or piano playing. They may understand they have a memory disorder.

Amnesia isn't the same as dementia. Dementia often includes memory loss but also involves other problems with thinking that lead to a decline in daily functioning. These problems include having trouble with language, judgment and visual-spatial skills.

Memory loss also is a common symptom of mild cognitive impairment. This disorder involves memory and other cognitive problems that aren't as severe as those experienced in dementia.

Additional symptoms

Depending on the cause of the amnesia, other symptoms may include:

  • False memories that are either completely invented or are real memories misplaced in time.
  • Confusion or disorientation.

When to see a doctor

Anyone who experiences unexplained memory loss, head injury or confusion requires immediate medical attention.

People with amnesia may not know where they are or be able to seek medical care. If someone you know has symptoms of amnesia, help the person get medical attention.

Request an appointment

Causes

Typical memory function involves many parts of the brain. Any disease or injury that affects the brain can affect memory.

Amnesia can result from damage to brain structures that form the limbic system, which controls emotions and memories. They include the thalamus found deep within the center of the brain. They also include the hippocampal formations found within the temporal lobes of the brain.

Amnesia caused by brain injury or damage is known as neurological amnesia. Possible causes of neurological amnesia include:

  • Stroke.
  • Brain inflammation, which may be due to an infection with a virus such as herpes simplex virus. Or inflammation may be a result of an autoimmune reaction to cancer somewhere in the body. It also may be due to an autoimmune reaction in the absence of cancer.
  • Not enough oxygen in the brain. This may happen as a result of a heart attack, respiratory distress or carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Long-term alcohol misuse that leads to too little vitamin B-1, known as thiamin, in the body. When this happens, it's called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
  • Tumors in areas of the brain that control memory.
  • Alzheimer's disease and other diseases that involve the degeneration of nerve tissue.
  • Seizures.
  • Certain medicines such as benzodiazepines or others that act as sedatives.

Head injuries that cause a concussion, whether from a car accident or sports, can lead to confusion and problems remembering new information. This is especially common in the early stages of recovery. Mild head injuries typically don't cause lasting amnesia, but more-severe head injuries may cause permanent amnesia.

Another rare type of amnesia, called dissociative amnesia, stems from emotional shock or trauma. It can result from being the victim of a violent crime or experiencing other trauma. In this disorder, people may lose personal memories and information about their lives. The memory loss is usually brief.

Risk factors

The chance of developing amnesia might increase if you've experienced:

  • Brain surgery, head injury or trauma.
  • Stroke.
  • Alcohol abuse.
  • Seizures.

Complications

Amnesia varies in severity and scope. But even mild amnesia takes a toll on daily activities and quality of life. The syndrome can cause problems at work, at school and in social settings.

It may not be possible to recover lost memories. Some people with severe memory problems need to be supervised or need to live in a care facility.

Prevention

Damage to the brain can be a root cause of amnesia. It's important to take steps to minimize your chance of a brain injury. For example:

  • Don't drink large amounts of alcohol.
  • Wear a helmet when bicycling and a seat belt when driving.
  • Treat infections quickly so that they don't have a chance to spread to the brain.
  • Get immediate medical treatment if you have symptoms that suggest a stroke or brain aneurysm. Those symptoms include a severe headache, feeling numb on one side of the body or not being able to move one side of the body.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

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What Is Amnesia? Symptoms, Types, And Can It Be Prevented?

Amnesia is a condition that involves a loss of memory, which can be temporary or permanent. It may affect an individual’s ability to remember past events, recall facts, or learn new information.

Amnesia can be caused by a variety of factors, including head injuries, brain damage, stroke, seizures, infections, certain medications, alcohol, or psychological trauma. In some cases, amnesia may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition such as Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

If you or a loved one is experiencing memory loss, it’s important to speak with a healthcare professional to determine the cause and receive appropriate treatment

Some of the common signs of Amnesia

Table of Contents

Amnesia or being forgetful?

Being a little forgetful sometimes is different from amnesia. Similarly, mild memory loss as a natural part of aging is considered normal.

People with amnesia may find it hard to recall memories such as facts, information, and experiences, but they may also have difficulty memorizing new information and imagining the future.

Significant memory loss, or the inability to form new memories, may indicate the presence of an amnesic disorder. Amnesia is also not the same as dementia or other degenerative disorders.

Dementia is a disease that causes degenerative memory loss, as well as those with the disease suffering from other cognitive issues that do not occur in those with amnesia.

There is often a misconception about amnesia, especially present in movies, where people with amnesia are shown to forget their whole identity.

However, those with amnesia usually retain the knowledge of their own identity, as well as having their motor skills intact. In many cases of amnesia, the memory loss is temporary and will return to normal after a while, but in others, the memory loss can be permanent.

How does memory work?

There are three known types of memory:

  • Short-term memory (STM, also known as working memory) – these are thoughts that are temporary, usually lasting between 10-30 seconds. The frontal and parietal lobes of the brain are mostly responsible for STM.

  • Long-term memory (LTM) – thoughts that last beyond a minute or longer become an LTM. This is usually when the STM has been paid attention to so it can be processed deeper. The hippocampus and the temporal lobes are responsible for LTM. There are two types of LTM: implicit (procedural) and explicit (declarative).

  • Sensory memory – this type of memory lasts for less than a second. This includes visual, auditory, and tactile sensory input that is briefly attended to and mostly forgotten or is passed on for further processing.

Four processes are involved in memory: encoding, consolidation, storage, and retrieval.

All of these processes determine whether something is remembered or forgotten:

  • Encoding – occurs in the prefrontal cortex; this is when the brain decodes new information. The information or experience is broken down into manageable parts for the rest of the brain to use.

  • Consolidation – occurring in the hippocampus, this is where the encoded information is linked to existing memories. This helps to determine where the new information belongs and solidifies the memory.

    Consolidating memories organizes everything in a way that will make it easier to recall in the future.

  • Storage – this takes place throughout the cortex; this is when the brain stores the information. The information that gets associated with existing memories gets preserved and retained. In contrast, the less important information gets edited out for the memory to stay focused on what is most important.

  • Retrieval – occurs in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and cortex; this is when the brain reactivates the information for use in the future.

    During the retrieval process, the brain runs through encoding, consolidation, and storage of the memory repeatedly. With each run-through, retrieval gets easier.

    The retrieval stage protects memories from being lost. The oldest and most retrieved memories are the most resilient.

Symptoms of Amnesia

There are two main features of amnesia. Someone may have difficulty learning new information following the onset of amnesia, or they may have difficulty remembering past events and information previously familiar to them.

The symptoms of amnesia depend on the type of amnesia being experienced. Some of the common experiences of someone with amnesia are as follows:

  • Difficulty with recalling facts, events, places, and specific details

  • An impaired ability to learn new information

  • Confusion

  • An inability to recognize locations or faces

  • Confabulation, in which the brain subconsciously invents false memories to fill in gaps in memory

  • Uncoordinated movements and tremors may indicate neurological problems

  • Disorientation

  • Partial or total loss of memory

Most people with amnesia have problems with their short-term memory. This means that they cannot retain new information, with recent memories most likely to be lost.

In contrast, their long-term memories can remain intact, those being more deeply ingrained memories of the individual.

For instance, someone may be able to recall experiences from childhood or remember significant events from history but not be able to know what month it was or what they last ate.

Amnesia does not mean that a person’s intelligence, general knowledge, attention, personality, sense of identity, or awareness is affected.

They will usually still retain their previously learned skills, such as understanding language, riding a bike, or playing an instrument. People with amnesia may also understand that they are suffering from memory problems.

Types of Amnesia

There are many different types of amnesia that a person may have. Below is a table outlining some of the most common types:

It’s worth noting that these types of amnesia can overlap, and individuals may experience a combination of symptoms. Additionally, the severity of symptoms can vary between individuals, and some may experience symptoms that are not listed here.

Retrograde amnesia

In contrast to anterograde amnesia, someone with retrograde amnesia will be unable to remember old memories. In this instance, they cannot remember the events that occurred before the onset of their amnesia, but they can remember what happened afterward. They will essentially lose their existing, previously made memories.

This type of amnesia tends to affect the most recently formed memories first, so the events immediately leading up to the onset of amnesia will likely be forgotten first. In contrast, older memories, such as those from childhood, are usually affected more slowly.

Retrograde amnesia usually occurs due to a problem in the storage or retrieval stage of the memory process. Conditions such as dementia can cause gradual retrograde amnesia.

In rare cases, both retrograde and anterograde amnesia can occur together, so someone will lose their existing memories and be unable to form new memories.

Anterograde amnesia

If someone has anterograde amnesia, they cannot remember new information. The person can remember information and events that have happened before the onset of amnesia, but things that happened more recently and information that should be stored in STM disappear.

The effect of this type of amnesia can be temporary, such as when experiencing a blackout from consuming too much alcohol. It can also be permanent if the hippocampus becomes damaged, an area of the brain that plays a significant role in forming memories.

This type of amnesia is usually due to an error in the encoding or consolidation of the process of memory. When an event cannot be encoded or consolidated in the short term, it makes it harder for the brain to store this information and process it for long-term retrieval in the future.

Transient global amnesia

Transient global amnesia is when someone has a temporary loss of all memory and, in severe cases, difficulty forming new memories.

This type of amnesia is very rare and is likely to occur in older adults with vascular disease. It is a sudden and temporary memory loss lasting between one to ten hours.

When experiencing transient global amnesia, a person cannot make new memories or recall events during the period of amnesia. They can remember deeply ingrained information such as who they are and who their family is but are often unaware of where they are, and what day, time, or month it is.

They can experience a lot of confusion and agitation that comes and goes repeatedly over the course of several hours.

Post-traumatic amnesia

Someone experiencing traumatic amnesia suffers memory loss due to a hard blow to the head. They may have difficulty remembering events from minutes to hours ago, feel disorientated to time and where they are, and they may not understand what has happened to them.

The person may experience a brief loss of consciousness or a coma before the amnesia. If someone experiences amnesia after trauma to the head, this may indicate that they have a concussion. Sometimes, amnesia is a normal part of the recovery process following head trauma.

Amnesia from trauma to the head is usually temporary, but how long it lasts depends on the injury’s severity. However, in some cases, traumatic amnesia can become permanent depending on the severity of the injury.

Dissociative amnesia

Dissociative amnesia is a type of dissociative disorder, a condition that affects the consciousness, awareness, and perception of a person. In some instances, this can be limited to a specific area, but in more severe cases, a person may forget almost all their identity or take an entirely new identity.

The onset of dissociative amnesia is usually sudden and may last for minutes, hours, or days, with rarer cases lasting for months or years. People usually develop this type of amnesia after experiencing a very stressful or traumatic experience as a way to cope with the situation.

Although the ability to remember usually returns, the memory of the shocking event which caused the amnesia may never come back completely.

Infantile amnesia

Infantile amnesia is when an adult cannot remember the first few years of life as a baby or a toddler. Most people cannot remember their first 3-5 years of life, making this a very common type of amnesia.

This inability to remember early life could be due to language not being fully developed yet, or some memory areas of the brain not being mature enough.

Causes

There are many causes of amnesia, but most fall into two categories: neurological and functional causes.

Neurological

Neurological amnesia is caused by various brain diseases, injuries, infections, or other medical conditions. Other causes of this type of amnesia include:

  • Stroke

  • Brain inflammation

  • Lack of oxygen to the brain, e. g., from a heart attack or respiratory distress

  • Long-term alcohol abuse

  • A vascular disease that has been known to cause transient global amnesia

  • Tumors in the areas of the brain that control memory

  • Degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease

  • Seizure activity

  • Certain medications, such as benzodiazepines or other medications that have a sedative effect

Normal memory function involves many parts of the brain, so any disease or injury that affects the brain can also affect memory. Damage that occurs to the limbic system, an area of the brain that controls emotions and memories, specifically the hippocampus, may be a possible cause for amnesia developing in many people.

Anterograde amnesia typically results from damage to the prefrontal cortex or the hippocampus. In contrast, retrograde amnesia typically results from damage to the cortex but could involve the prefrontal cortex or hippocampus as well.

Since the hippocampus plays a big role in forming memories, organizing them, and retrieving them when needed, any damage to this area is detrimental as it limits these functions.

The hippocampus cells are also thought to be some of the most energy-hungry and fragile. Thus, they are most easily disrupted by low oxygen levels and other threats such as toxins. It is believed that if the hippocampus is damaged in both hemispheres of the brain, the person could develop complete anterograde amnesia.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has also been shown to cause some amnesia as a side effect of the treatment. ECT is usually used as a treatment for depression or other conditions where the person isn’t responding to other types of treatment.

This involves inducing seizures in specific brain regions for therapeutic effect. However, some people may experience retrograde amnesia in the weeks or months before the treatment. They could also experience anterograde amnesia, usually resolving within a few weeks of treatment.

Functional

Functional causes of amnesia are usually related to psychiatric or emotional trauma. Functional amnesia also usually only causes retrograde amnesia and doesn’t affect the ability to form new memories, although in severe cases, people with functional trauma can forget who they are.

Dissociative amnesia stems from emotional shock or trauma, such as experiencing or being the victim of a violent crime or experiencing or being the victim of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse.

With this type of amnesia, the person’s mind rejects thoughts, feelings, or information that they are too overwhelmed to handle. They may briefly forget the trauma they went through, either briefly or long-term.

Any type of intolerable life situation can cause severe psychological stress and internal conflict that can lead to some degree of amnesia.

This stress is more likely to disrupt personal and historical memories rather than interfere with making new memories.

Diagnosing Amnesia

To diagnose amnesia, doctors usually complete a comprehensive evaluation to rule out other possible reasons for memory loss.

The doctor will want to rule out conditions such as Alzheimer’s, other forms of dementia, depression, or a brain tumor.

The evaluation may begin by completing a thorough medical history of the individual. As the person with suspected amnesia may not be able to provide all the necessary details, a family member or someone who knows the person well will generally take part in the interview too.

The doctor will ask many questions to understand memory loss. Some of the issues to address include the following:

  • Understanding the type of memory loss – including whether it is a recent problem or long-term.

  • When the memory problem started and how they may have progressed.

  • What could have been the possible cause for the memory loss, e.g., head trauma.

  • A discussion of family medical history, especially of neurological diseases.

  • Whether the person uses drugs or drinks alcohol.

  • Other signs and symptoms are experienced, such as confusion, language problems, or personality changes.

  • Whether the person has a history of headaches, seizures, or depression.

The examination should also include a physical exam to check the person’s reflexes, sensory function, balance, and any other aspects that may be necessary.

Cognitive tests will also be completed by the doctor to check the person’s thinking, judgment, and short-term and long-term memory. For instance, they may be asked about past events, given general knowledge questions, or asked to repeat a list of words.

This can help determine the extent of the memory loss and provide insights into what kind of treatment the person may need.

The doctor may also arrange for diagnostic tests to investigate memory loss further. This can include tests such as:

  • Imaging tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) scans to check for brain damage or abnormalities.

  • Blood tests to check for infection, nutritional deficiencies, or other issues.

  • An electroencephalogram (EEG) is used to check for seizure activity.

Treatment Options

Treatment for amnesia depends on the type of amnesia being experienced and what caused the memory problems.

With many types of amnesia, no treatment is necessary as it is likely that memory will return to normal in a short amount of time.

For instance, amnesia from mild head trauma may resolve within minutes or hours. Amnesia from a severe head injury may last a bit longer, for up to a week. In rarer cases, amnesia from a severe head injury may last for months.

Chemically induced amnesia from alcohol can be resolved through detoxication. Once this is out of the system, the memory problems of the person will probably subside.

Suppose amnesia is caused as a side effect of medications such as benzodiazepines or other medications with a sedative effect. In that case, the medications could be gradually reduced, or the dosage can decrease only with the advice given by a doctor.

It could be that a discussion of a person’s medicative treatment plan is required to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of taking medication that is causing amnesia.

Amnesia caused by neurological disease or infection will require treatment for the underlying medical cause of the amnesia. Once the medical issue is treated, this should also reduce memory problems. Amnesia, which is derived from dementia, is often incurable.

However, a doctor may prescribe medications to support learning and memory for these individuals, such as donepezil, galantamine, or rivastigmine.

As most functional amnesia results from emotional trauma, it may be useful to find a way to deal with the traumatic events in a safe way. The best therapy will usually depend on the individual and what caused the amnesia. Hypnosis can be an effective therapy for recalling memories that have been forgotten.

For many, the memory that has been forgotten may be too painful to rediscover. Instead, it may be recommended to find a therapy that focuses on strategies to help make up for the memory problem and cope with additional negative thoughts surrounding the cause of the amnesia.

People may wish to undergo any of the following therapies:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

  • Family therapy

  • Art or music therapy

  • Meditation or mindfulness training

  • Other types of psychotherapy

Many people with amnesia may find that occupational therapy is the most useful for them if they have persistent memory loss. A person may work with an occupational therapist to learn new information to replace what may have been lost or use intact memories as a basis for taking in new information.

Memory training may also include different strategies for organizing information so that it is easier to remember. The therapist can also teach the person how to use memory aids for organizing information so it can be more effectively retrieved.

They may also suggest using digital aids, such as smartphones, to help with daily tasks and set reminders about important events or when to take their medication, for instance.

Prevention

In many cases, amnesia is not preventable. However, there are some ways to keep the mind active and the brain protected, especially when getting older, which could prevent age-related memory loss:

Diet and physical exercise

Eating a diet with lots of nutrients and vitamins, as well as exercising regularly, could help to keep the brain healthy. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, has been suggested to be linked to improved memory and thinking skills.

This may be due to more blood being pumped around brain regions that specifically improve memory and mental sharpness (Guadagni et al. , 2020).

Aside from food, staying hydrated is important as it is suggested that even mild dehydration can adversely affect brain functioning and cause cognitive decline (Pross, 2017).

Staying mentally active

While it is important to keep physically active, keeping the mind active may also help to prevent memory loss.

This can include reading books or playing mind-stimulating games. Activities that involve mental effort, like problem-solving or using imagination, can help stimulate the mind.

Quality sleep

It has been suggested that a lack of sleep can impair a person’s ability to focus and learn efficiently and that sleep is necessary to consolidate a memory so that it can be recalled in the future (Marks, 2021).

Therefore, sleep may be crucial for the brain’s ability to learn and remember, so ensuring a regular sleep pattern and getting plenty of sleep may help to prevent memory loss in the future.

Managing stressors

Stress can affect how memories are formed, such as finding it more difficult to create short-term memories and turning those into long-term memories. Also, during periods of stress, one is less likely to remember details of the event later accurately.

Therefore, managing stressors in life could help to prevent problems with memory. This can include good sleep and physical activity, as mentioned above, but it can also include breathing exercises, mindfulness, or cutting unnecessary known stressors from life.

Protecting the head

Since damage to the brain can cause amnesia, protecting the head wherever possible can help prevent amnesia associated with brain trauma. Some preventions for head trauma include:

  • Wearing protective headgear when cycling and motorcycling.

  • Wearing a seatbelt in the car.

  • Avoiding excessive alcohol drinking so that balance is less likely to be lost.

  • Getting eye check-ups annually to help prevent dizziness that can result in falls.

  • Ask the doctor about any prescribed medications and whether they may cause dizziness.

References

Guadagni, V., Drogos, L. L., Tyndall, A. V., Davenport, M. H., Anderson, T. J., Eskes, G. A., Longman, R. S., Hill, M. D. & Poulin, M. J. (2020). Aerobic exercise improves cognition and cerebrovascular regulation in older adults. Neurology, 94(21), e2245-e2257.

Pross, N. (2017). Effects of dehydration on brain functioning: a life-span perspective. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 70(Suppl. 1), 30-36.

Amnesia: types, symptoms, causes

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Amnesia is a human memory disorder that manifests itself in the form of a pathological loss of memories of life circumstances. Amnestic syndrome remains a common complication of neurological diseases, mental disorders, chronic intoxication or acute poisoning.

General

The absence of memories of past events is not always considered by doctors as a pathology. Childhood amnesia is common. Most people cannot recount the events of the first three years of their lives.

The main clinical manifestation of amnesia is the loss by a person of previously available memories of significant events of the past or the circumstances of recent actions. Amnestic syndrome remains a common manifestation of neurological and psychiatric pathologies.

Causes of memory disorder

The most common causes of amnesia are changes in the structures of the patient's brain. Metabolic, morphological or bioelectrical disorders occur against the background of:

  • traumatic brain injury,
  • brain tumors,
  • cerebral hypoxia,
  • neuroinfections,
  • intoxications,
  • degenerative diseases of the CNS,
  • epilepsy.

Psychological traumas (abductions, rapes, traffic accidents, terrorist attacks) have a significant impact on the state of memory. The loss of memories becomes a defensive reaction against the background of the events that have occurred. Partial amnesia may result from delirium tremens, dissociative disorder, or schizophrenia.

Types of amnestic syndromes

The basis for the classification of pathology are the characteristics of its completeness, chronological orientation and features of the course. During the diagnosis, doctors take into account all the parameters, since the patient's treatment strategy depends on them.

Neurologists distinguish three types of amnesia in accordance with the completeness of memory loss:

  • absolute,
  • partial,
  • local.

In the first case, the patient cannot remember any events in a certain period of the past; in the second, the dissociative one has vague and fragmentary memories. Local amnestic disorders are diagnosed when a patient loses a certain skill or ability.

An extended classification takes into account the temporal location of events forgotten by a person in relation to the moment of occurrence of amnesia. Basic information about these types of pathology is presented in the table.

Form Characteristics

retrograde

The patient cannot remember events that occurred before the onset of the first symptoms of amnesia

Anterograde

The child or adult forgets events that occurred after the onset of the amnestic disorder

Anteroretrograde

Combines signs of retrograde and atherograde amnesia

Fixation

A person loses memories of current events, the time period stretches for several minutes

The course of amnesia can be stationary (without dynamics), progressive or regressive. The latter option becomes the basis for the formation of a favorable prognosis regarding the complete recovery of the patient.

Symptoms of pathology

Symptoms of amnesia depend on the clinical form of the disease identified in the patient. The basic symptom is the inability of a person to remember events from a certain time period. The sequence of loss of memories is described in Ribot's law. First amnesic patients forget recent events, then facts of the recent past. At the last stage, there is a loss of memories of actions in the distant past. Memory recovery is carried out in reverse order.

Often, adults and children diagnosed with amnesia are faced with confabulations - fictional memories. They reflect the patient's desire to fill in the gaps in his own memory.

Symptoms of the amnestic syndrome can be combined with manifestations of the underlying pathology that led to disorders in the cerebral structures. So, with alcoholic delirium, sharp mood swings are observed, accompanied by bouts of euphoria and tantrums. The patient experiences thirst, bouts of nausea, suffers from loss of muscle tone. Amnesia on the background of alcoholic neurosis remains temporary.

Diagnostics

The diagnostic algorithm is individual for each patient. The set and sequence of actions of the neurologist is determined by the clinical picture of the pathology. A psychiatrist, narcologist, neurosurgeon and infectious disease specialist may be involved as consultants. Advanced diagnostic plan includes:

  • history taking;
  • assessment of neurological status;
  • assessment of psychiatric status;
  • CSF examination;
  • general and biochemical blood tests.

An important diagnostic procedure is MRI of the cerebral vessels. The study of cerebral hemodynamics is performed with suspicion of a vascular genesis of amnesia.

Computed tomography of the brain is indicated for patients with traumatic brain injury. The same method is used when doctors detect symptoms of malignant neoplasms in brain structures.

Treatment of amnestic syndrome

Drug treatment is prescribed to the patient based on the symptoms identified during the physical examination and additional studies. Pharmacotherapy is based on the following drugs:

  • vasodilators and antiplatelet agents;
  • neuroprotectors and antioxidants;
  • anticholinesterase agents;
  • nootropics;
  • memantines.

These substances are designed to improve cerebral blood flow, optimize metabolic processes in neurons, slow down the progression of dementia, restore memory and stimulate the cognitive abilities of patients. Treatment for amnesia may include psychotherapy and exercise. In the presence of brain tumors, the patient is prescribed surgical intervention.

Prognosis and preventive measures

The success of treatment depends on the age of the patient, the underlying pathology and the causes of amnesia. Traumatic memory disorders are reversible - therapy is successful in 85% of cases. Degenerative changes in the central nervous system are characterized by a progressive course, which excludes the possibility of a complete recovery of the patient.

Preventive measures involve the observance of safety precautions during work and rest. These actions will allow the patient to avoid head injuries. At the first signs of intoxication, infections or vascular disorders, adults and children should seek medical help.

Questions and answers

At what age is amnesia most likely to develop?

Amnestic syndrome often develops in people over 65 years of age against the background of degenerative changes in cerebral structures. Patients representing other age groups experience amnesia after trauma, intoxication, or psychological shock.

Is it possible to restore memory without active drug treatment of amnesia?

Such a development of events is unlikely even with a regressing amnesic syndrome. The patient needs pharmacotherapy to eliminate metabolic or bioelectrical disorders in cerebral structures.

signs, degrees, treatment, what is selective and amnestic amnesia

Memory is not just a set of information, but a complex function that affects the feelings and behavior of a person. Memories form a personality, therefore, when they are lost or distorted, not only the ability to interact with the outside world suffers, but also the mental balance and unity of the personality.

Changes in memory and thinking are a natural part of aging. But when, regardless of age, there is a significant degradation of memory and the ability to form new memories is lost, it is worth learning more about what amnesia is.

Amnesia is a symptom in which there is a violation of memory function with partial or complete loss of it. In most cases, people are correctly oriented in their own personality and retain motor skills. The main difficulty lies in the study and processing of the new. Violations of memories of the past also occur, but old and bright events are preserved better than new information. Amnesia can be a short-term condition that lasts no more than a few minutes or hours, but in some diseases, memory problems continue for years and gradually get worse.

In relation to amnesia, what it is will help to better understand how memory works. It includes many complex brain processes, which are based on the flow of information into neurons in the form of electrical impulses. The processing of this information includes the following steps:

  • Registration - receiving and accepting the new
  • Coding and storage - processing of material, formation of associations, associations, accumulation and preservation of information. This provides the basis for learning and thinking.
  • Reproduction is the application of past experience. One of the simplest forms is recognition - matching an object with its image.

Amnesia occurs when any of these stages are violated. It may seem that attention, thinking, intellect or speech suffer, but in fact it is the memory impairment that is primary. If you suspect amnesia in yourself or your loved one, what is it and what is the reason, the doctor will tell you. This condition is a symptom that accompanies the underlying somatic or mental pathology, so appropriate treatment is necessary.

Types and signs of amnesia

The main signs of amnesia:

  1. Memory problems: inability to learn new things, remember the past, and so on.
  2. Disorientation and confusion.
  3. Difficulties in communication and in the performance of mental work due to impaired assimilation and reproduction of information. This may give the impression of a decline in the intellectual sphere.
  4. Confabulations are false memories.

Most patients have problems with short-term memory - they cannot remember new information. At the same time, memories for current events are not stored in memory, while the events of the past are preserved. A person can recount childhood incidents or know the names of former presidents, but he will not remember what he ate for breakfast or what was said to him half an hour ago. Amnestic amnesia is different from dementia. With dementia, in addition to memory loss, there are serious disorders of the cognitive sphere.

Depending on the type of amnesia, its features differ. There are many types of memory loss. Here are the main types of amnesia:

  • Retrograde amnesia is a violation of long-term memory, when events that occurred before the onset of a disease state fall out of it.
  • Anterograde amnesia - events that occurred after a painful condition fall out of memory.
  • Anteroretrograde is a combination of retrograde and anterograde amnesia.
  • Fixation amnesia is the loss of the ability to remember current events.
  • Progressive: Memory loss begins with later events but gradually spreads to earlier events.
  • Dissociative amnesia: data on personal life events and biography are lost, but general knowledge is preserved. This is mental amnesia, which develops as a result of psychotrauma. A variant is selective amnesia, when events about a limited period are erased from the memory, during which the traumatic situation usually occurred.
  • Dissociative fugue: a severe generalized variant of dissociative amnesia, in which for several days or hours the idea of ​​one's own personality is completely lost, up to the idea of ​​oneself as another person. There are sudden purposeful escapes and journeys.
  • Korsakov's syndrome (amnestic syndrome): fixative amnesia of the head in combination with disorientation (in space and time) and pseudo-reminiscences - displacements of memories in time. Retrograde, anterograde amnesia can join.

The degrees of amnesia vary considerably in severity and scope. In some cases, a person may seem completely healthy from the outside, but sometimes he completely loses the ability to self-service. Even mild amnesia affects daily activities, quality of life and outlook. The main danger lies in the fact that it is impossible to predict whether this condition will recede or worsen. Therefore, it is important to contact a specialist in time for examination and observation: with the right approach, it is possible to fully or partially restore the lost function.

Causes of amnesia

Any disease or injury that affects the brain can affect memory. For example, the limbic system is responsible for memory and damage to its structures (hippocampus, thalamus) leads to corresponding disorders.

The causes of amnesia can be divided into organic and psychogenic. Organic ones are associated with a direct damaging effect on brain structures, and psychogenic ones are the result of the protective mechanisms of the psyche.

Organic causes:

  • Stroke, cerebral hemorrhage.
  • Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the brain.
  • Lack of oxygen supply to the brain, for example, as a result of pathology of the respiratory system or carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Alcohol abuse: leads to a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1).
  • Tumors in areas of the brain that control memory.
  • Degenerative diseases of the brain: Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
  • Certain medications, such as benzodiazepines and barbiturates.
  • Epilepsy.
  • Traumatic brain injuries and operations on the brain.

Psychogenic causes:

  • Schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.
  • Psychotraumatic situation: natural disaster, violence, fighting, terrorist act. Memory is usually lost only to the traumatic event. For such partial amnesia, the causes can be anything that can cause a strong emotional shock.
  • post-hypnotic state.

It is important to correctly determine the cause of the pathology, since the diagnosis and treatment will depend on this. The tactics of managing a patient with a neoplasm or epilepsy differs from the treatment of the consequences of a traumatic situation. Therefore, the doctor who conducts the examination must carefully study the clinical case and devote enough time to the patient. Diagnostics includes the study of anamnesis, psychiatric consultation, a conversation with relatives, a neurological examination with the determination of reflexes and sensory functions, cognitive tests, as well as such instrumental techniques as electroencephalogram, CT, MRI. Expert advice may be required.

Amnesia treatment

For amnesia, treatment is non-specific and depends on the cause. The therapy focuses on strategies to help compensate for memory problems. The following approaches are applied:

  1. Treatment of primary pathology: removal of the tumor, elimination of infection, etc.
  2. Creating a favorable environment, normalizing the regime of work and rest. After that, the first signs of improvement are visible. For patients with degenerative processes in the brain, this helps to better adapt and increase the ability to self-service.
  3. Drug therapy. Nootropics, nicotinic acid derivatives, B vitamins, antipsychotics, vasoactive drugs, and other drugs may be prescribed.
  4. Psychotherapy: necessary in the treatment of psychogenic amnesia. Allows you to recognize and work through the problems associated with amnestic episodes. Work is being done with relatives, hypnosuggestive therapy can be used.

Anyone can face risk factors for developing amnesia. Therefore, do not forget about simple preventive measures that will reduce the chance of a painful condition: