![]() A September 2010 study published in an American Academy of Neurology journal found that brain lesions, originally thought to only affect those with dementia, begin affecting memory as you age.A September 2006 study published in an American Academy of Neurology journal explained that tests conducted on 120 adults complaining of forgetfulness and memory recall (without dementia or Alzheimer's diagnoses) revealed they had suffered 3 to 4 percent loss in gray matter density (the major portion of your brain), particularly in the area responsible for memory.Without getting too technical, here are some simplified explanations of some current neurological studies that explain this phenomenon of sometimes sudden onset of episodes of forgetfulness, and ways to combat memory loss and impairment: Serious degenerative causes: Stroke, cognitive impairment, dementia, or Alzheimer's.Ĭurrent Neurological Studies and Programs.Health-related causes: Side effects of medications deficiencies in vitamins (particularly B12) substance abuse brain infections, tumors, or blood clots emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, or stress.Age-related causes: Changes in aging brains cause episodes of mild forgetfulness ("Where did I leave my glasses?") inability to learn new things as quickly as when you were younger.But why DO you start forgetting things?Īccording to the National Institute on Aging, there are numerous reasons for varying levels of forgetfulness and memory impairment: You might also write yourself notes, or a list of sequential steps to take to accomplish things during the day, expressly so you do NOT forget to do something. If you are like others your age, you may have started the habit of carrying around a notebook and pen so you can write things down at the moment you think of them. Yet these things do happen, more often than you would like to admit. Who could have imagined that you would start forgetting names of people you have known for a long time, have trouble keeping up with your kids' ages, or simply-sometimes suddenly-forget how to do something you have done for years, like balance a checkbook (people DO still have those, right?) or make sense of directions to drive to a familiar place? ![]() The forgetfulness, becoming easily distracted, losing your train of thought mid-sentence, feeling as if you are enveloped in some kind of murky brain fog.if any of this has ever happened to you, then you know how frustrating it is! You are probably convinced that YES, you really do need to train your brain, especially as you hit middle age-if not before! You know, you walk into a room, stand there looking around, and then ask yourself, "Now what did I come in here for?"
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