Dementia And Its Connection With Memory Loss

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Dementia and Its Connection with Memory Loss Dementia affects many elderly people in today’s society. One of the most commonly known forms of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease. This condition is a progressive disease caused by damage to brain cells that leads to impaired memory. The more the disease progresses, the worse the memory becomes. It is also a degenerative disease, causing irreversible damage to brain cells. A second well-known condition is Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease has more mild effects on memory; however, in later stages of the disease, some patients can develop severe dementia, leading to greater hindrances to memory. There is no known cure for either of these diseases, though there are some solutions for lessening the symptoms ("Cognitive Impairment”). The disease can last from days to years, and one can never know how much time he or she has left before the disease takes over. Another form of dementia is Huntington disease. An inherited disorder, there is a 50% chance that a child of one with Huntington will also have the disease (“Huntington Disease”). Also a progressive neurodegenerative disease, Huntington can lead to cognitive decline and affects short-term memory first. Another incurable disorder is vascular dementia, which is brain damage caused by a stroke. The clots that form in blood vessels cause damage to parts of the brain involved in memory. The risk for these diseases increases as one gets older. Specifically, the risk for vascular dementia increases dramatically as one reaches the age of 80 (“Vascular Dementia”). Problem: How Ageing Affects Memory The main problem with memory loss lies within how the human body changes as it ages. Many factors involved with memory loss include the diffe... ... middle of paper ... ...wareness for possible treatments for normal age-related memory loss and also memory impairment due to dementia. Building a stronger memory in old age can help one go through each day more smoothly and live life with less stress about forgetting things so easily. Those who have distinct memory problems should learn to accept the inevitable changes in their lives and cope respectively by making notes for reminders, changing living arrangements, or any other change to a person’s typical life. If younger generations apply these same improvements to their lives, the quality of their memories can be better enhanced throughout the years and will prepare them for a better life when they get old. With the data found on memory retention in the elderly, it is shown that their memories can be improved with cognitive tests, a better treatment of their health, and help from others.

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