Memory Loss Specialist

What is memory loss?

Your memory operates in two ways. First, you have a working or short-term memory, in which you store all the information you need at the present moment.

Working memory could contain anything from doing mental arithmetic to remembering your shopping list, and as soon as you don't need the information, it disappears.

Your long-term memory is a library of all the knowledge, events, and experiences your brain retains over your lifetime. When you have long-term memory loss, it means you can't recall aspects of your life that you once knew well.

What causes memory loss?

You may suffer memory loss for many reasons, including head injuries, serious illness, and psychological disorders. Sometimes these forms of memory loss are temporary, but with other conditions, such as dementia, the problem steadily worsens.

Problems that can affect working memory include ADD (attention deficit disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). These developmental disorders often affect the ability to concentrate or remember tasks due to poor working memory.

One of the leading causes of memory loss in older people is dementia, which results in a general cognitive decline. Dementia is a symptom of several disorders, the most well-known being Alzheimer's disease.

Patients with dementia often remember people and places from many years ago but have great difficulty with more recent memories. Eventually, their loss of memory may be so severe they no longer recognize close family members.

How is memory loss diagnosed?

At Pinnacle Healthcare System, the team uses neurocognitive testing to assess your brain function. Neurocognitive testing is a more reliable way of evaluating the reason for your memory loss and how to treat it than diagnostic imaging tests like a brain MRI.

When you have a neurological symptom like memory loss, the cause is often one that you can't see in the brain's structure. Instead, it relates to the level of activity in different parts of your brain.

Neurocognitive testing uses written or computerized tests to assess your brain's function and compare you to people of a similar age with the same education level. The tests are non-invasive; you just need to respond to the questions or prompts as you receive them.

What treatments are available for memory loss?

There are various treatments the team at Pinnacle Healthcare System could use to treat your memory loss, depending on the cause.

Neurocognitive techniques benefit patients with short-term memory loss, helping to improve their brain's processing and the ability to maintain concentration. Medications may be necessary for people whose memory loss is due to conditions like dementia.

If you're concerned about memory loss, call Pinnacle Healthcare System or book an appointment online today.