Amnesia is not an autonomic disease, but rather the symptom of an external or internal effect on the brain. As a result, this is no longer capable of storing new memories or retrieving existing ones. The various types differ according to the type of loss and the type of influence, but they are not necessarily threatening to affected individuals.
What is amnesia?
Amnesia tends to be a symptom of an external or internal influence on the brain. As a result, this is no longer able to store new memories or recall existing ones. Memory parts that store sequences of actions are usually not affected by amnesia. Therefore, patients are usually still able to drive a car or tie their shoes. Several forms are distinguished, although individual clinical pictures often overlap. The most common form is anterograde memory loss. The sufferer is unable or only partially able to grasp and store new content. Retrograde amnesia, on the other hand, erases all memories from the period before the brain damage. This condition can last seconds, but also days, weeks or months and is often related to anterograde memory loss. Another and at the same time the most severe form is global memory impairment. Affected persons are unable to absorb new content. At the same time, they cannot access memories that date back years or decades. Global memory loss is irreversible and is distinct from transient global amnesia. This also affects all memory content but lasts only a few hours.
Causes
The causes of memory loss are varied and not always identifiable. There are many factors that trigger or promote its occurrence. Brain dysfunction can develop as a result of traumatic brain injury, epileptic seizures, strokes, dementia, or emotional stress. Alcohol, drug, or medication abuse can also promote memory loss. Brain trauma often leads to retrograde memory impairment. In this case, there is no correlation between the persistence of the memory gap and the extent of the damage. Affected persons of transient global memory loss often suffer from psychological stress or pronounced physical exertion. In psychogenic amnesia, patients repress traumatic experiences.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
Depending on the clinical picture, patients show different symptoms and complaints. As a rule, however, the memory parts responsible for storing sequences of actions are not affected. Skills once learned can still be recalled. Patients most frequently suffer from anterograde amnesia. They are no longer able to grasp and store new content, or only to a limited extent. Patients with retrograde amnesia have no memories of the period before the brain damage. The most severe form of progression is global and irreversible amnesia, which erases all memories. Patients with psychogenic amnesia exhibit symptoms and behaviors that are not always understandable to outsiders, as they repress traumatic events from memory. The various symptoms, such as confusion, orientation disorders and more or less pronounced memory gaps, significantly complicate the patients’ everyday life. Missing memories lead to a loss of identity and cause psychological and emotional stress. Amnesia alters the affected person’s behavior, courses of action and relationships with other people. The inability to grasp new content and recall memories can lead to decreased performance at school or work. Because amnesia can also occur as a secondary condition after a stroke or due to a tumor, the memory lapses are often accompanied by symptoms of the underlying disease, leading to further complications.
Diagnosis and course
Extensive investigations are essential for reliable diagnosis and investigation of the causes. In many cases, however, a definitive diagnosis is not possible. At the beginning, a detailed patient interview (anamnesis) is essential. Statements from family and friends are also helpful in identifying the type of memory loss. Furthermore, a test to check long and short-term memory is usually carried out to assess the extent to which the memory is damaged.Computer tomographies or magnetic resonance imaging are performed to detect impairments of the brain and to detect hemorrhages or tumors. An EEG measures brain waves to rule out epilepsy as a cause. Examining the brain for blood supply using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can detect symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or epilepsy. Memory loss is unpredictable and usually erupts as quickly as it ends. Exceptions are diseases of the elderly, such as dementia. Here, however, it is impossible to determine the degree of memory exactly. Affected persons usually still remember events from early childhood and youth, while times behind them gradually disappear. Sufferers often remember things in great detail that they had forgotten for decades. For example, they are familiar with the names of former classmates, while they forget those of their own children. If the amnesia is psychological, the brain can occasionally recover from the damage it has suffered, causing memories to return gradually.
Complications
The consequences of amnesia are far-reaching and can lead to various problems in daily life and at work. First, memory loss alters daily actions and personal relationships, from which emotional stress and psychological disorders can develop in the long term. At work and school, amnesia can lead to a drop in performance and subsequently to isolation of the affected person. Possible memory gaps can increase the suffering even more, for example if the amnesia occurs as a result of an accident or if the forgotten memories are of emotional importance to the affected person. Not only the memory loss itself, but also the possible causes (tumor, stroke, etc.) can lead to complications, insofar as the underlying condition is not treated in time or improperly. Amnesia as a result of a tumor is accompanied in its course by further memory disorders, which, depending on the affected brain region, can affect the entire body and the function of organs. In the treatment of amnesia, the risks come from failed trauma therapy (for psychological causes) and poorly adjusted medication (for physical and psychological causes). Taking certain medications then adds other symptoms to the amnesia. This is sometimes manifested by fatigue and forgetfulness, which can greatly slow recovery.
When should you go to the doctor?
When amnesia is suspected, it makes sense to see a doctor if the problems persist or are severe. It is usually sufficient to see a general practitioner first. Memory problems can have various causes; a general practitioner is able to make an initial assessment. If special treatment is needed, he can then refer the patient to an appropriate specialist. In some cities, there are specialized memory outpatient clinics where extensive testing for Alzheimer’s and other potential causes is possible. If family members are known to have relevant diseases that may be associated with amnesia, patients should specifically mention this when visiting their doctor. For example, a certain form of Alzheimer’s is significantly genetic and typically begins earlier than other types of dementia. Medications are also a possible cause of amnesia. Do the memory problems occur after a new drug has been prescribed? If so, patients should contact their treating physician. In addition, a physician should be consulted if the amnesia occurs in temporal proximity to a fall, accident, stroke, or similar event. Sudden severe amnesia makes it advisable to see a doctor even if no direct connection or reason is apparent. If other acute symptoms such as confusion, vision and hearing problems, disorientation, tingling sensations, shortness of breath, or chest pain also present, a physician (an emergency room doctor or physician, if necessary) should evaluate the situation to rule out stroke, for example.
Treatment and therapy
Treatment of amnesia is primarily dependent on an unequivocal diagnosis, and treatment success can vary widely. Epilepsy patients sometimes remain symptom-free throughout their lives if a clear diagnosis is made and appropriate medication is given.Diseases such as aging and dementia, on the other hand, can sometimes be treated only to a limited extent or not at all. In these cases, treatment primarily saves sufferers from unnecessary suffering. However, a large proportion of the drugs used in these cases have serious side effects that lead to further discomfort. In the case of psychologically induced amnesia, psychologists and psychiatrists can track down the causes in the course of therapy. Depth psychological and behavioral therapy methods have proven effective here. The form of therapy and, if necessary, accompanying medicinal measures are to be determined by doctors and therapists. Relaxation techniques such as autogenic training are also frequently integrated into treatment. However, it is controversial whether a complete recovery of traumatized patients is always possible. The treatment of memory disorders is lengthy and is always based on the patient’s individual history. Only in this way are there prospects for treatment success.
Follow-up
In most cases, amnesia results from a strong violent impact on the head or dramatic events. Affected individuals complain of large memory gaps and an inability to remember information. As a rule, amnesia is due to an underlying disease, which necessarily requires appropriate treatment. After an amnesia has been overcome, appropriate follow-up examinations should take place in any case. Only by means of such examinations can secondary diseases be completely ruled out. If the person concerned does not undergo such follow-up care, he or she exposes himself or herself to unnecessary danger. Under certain circumstances, a life-threatening danger may arise if the amnesia has left permanent damage. In order to detect this damage and possible illnesses, appropriate aftercare must take place. in general, the chances of healing and recovery in the case of amnesia are quite positive. However, it should be noted that appropriate follow-up care takes place. Only if appropriate aftercare takes place, a complete and timely recovery is possible. If no follow-up care takes place, permanent damage may occur that cannot be treated or restored afterwards. Even several months after surviving amnesia, follow-up examinations should still take place to rule out any risk.
Outlook and prognosis
First, the causes of amnesia are crucial to give a prognosis. Mild confusion or memory impairment, for example, after a fall, is usually not permanent. However, if some form of dementia is the cause of memory loss, symptoms can be expected to worsen. It is possible to treat meningitis well with medication, and amnesia can often be reversed. Improvement in memory after a stroke is likely, depending on the severity. Retrograde amnesia may also resolve in some circumstances. But in most cases, memory loss remains. The situation is different with global amnesia. Here, memory loss is not reversible. In global amnesia, which occurs only temporarily (transiently), memory returns completely on its own in most cases. There are no indications of permanent disturbances in this case. Only the feeling of memory-related limitations and irritations can still occur a few days after the failure. In the case of psychological causes for amnesia, such as the repression of an event, the prognosis depends on the individual case. With the help of psychotherapy, certain memory contents can be brought back to the patient’s consciousness and traumatic experiences can be processed together with the therapist.
Prevention
Avoiding harmful substances and living a mindful and healthy lifestyle are the only ways to prevent brain damage caused by external influences. Proper demands on the body and mind through memory training, exercise, and relaxation methods will help the brain recover. For amnesia patients, it is beneficial to connect to familiar things and surround themselves with familiar things.
Here’s what you can do yourself
Thanks to advances in medicine, more and more people are reaching a respectable age. And to always ensure a good quality of life, physical and mental fitness play a role.For the latter, every person can do something himself. The brain, its concentration and memory capacity, can be kept at a high functional level through sensible nutrition, among other things. The omega-3 fatty acid DHA plays a particularly important role here. This is contained in cold–water fish. Recent studies have shown that older people in particular should eat fish regularly. This reduces the risk of dementia by almost half. The brain does not store all perceptions. Thus, occasional memory lapses are not a cause for concern. To prevent increasing memory loss, those affected can exercise their brain power. There are various exercises that help develop individual memory systems. One is to link content with pictures. This method can be used at any time. For example, a walk helps to permanently learn the names of various spring flowers. Writing down everyday facts also supports the memory process. In general, any form of socializing is always a good remedy for amnesia. Even conversations with friends can help, because they train the ability to concentrate. In addition to a balanced diet, regular exercise is an important factor. Music and dance can also help to increase memory.