Memory disorders can develop from some forms of neurological damage affecting the structure of the brain. As the result, the recollection, retention and storage of the memories can become affected. The memory disorders can be mild or severe interfering with the social activities, the work and everyday tasks of the affected individual. This can develop as the result of various conditions such as diabetes, strokes, high blood pressure, the side-effect of medications and nutritional deficiencies. Some of the diseases that present memory disorders include the lewy body dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, mild cognitive impairment and corticobasal degeneration.
Alzheimer’s Disease
This is a progressive disease that develops from the degeneration and the death of brain cells. Initially, the individuals with this condition have confusion and problems with remembering things which can impact their daily lives. The early stage includes the mild symptoms, the middle stage presents difficulty in carrying out the regular tasks and the late stage requires high levels of assistance. It is estimated that the affected individuals with Alzheimer’s disease may continue their life for a period of eight to ten years from the initial onset of symptoms. As the disease progresses, the protein accumulation in the brain known as ‘plaques’ affects the connection of nerve cells which can shrink the size of the brain. This can cause the loss of brain tissues and the death of nerve cells. The symptoms can include memory loss, the inability to learn new things, being lost in familiar places and forgetting recent events. There is no cure for this disease but the treatment consists of medications to provide relief from the symptoms and enabling supportive care.
Lewy body dementia
This is a form of dementia that presents the progressive cognitive decline combined with fluctuations in attention, visual hallucination and motor symptoms that are similar to Parkinson’s disease. This condition develops as the result of the accumulation of structures in the brain known as Lewy bodies which occur inside the nerve cells and in the midbrain. The common symptoms of this condition include the impaired thinking, fluctuations in cognition or attention, problems with movement, visual hallucinations, sleep disorders, behavioral problems and changes in autonomic body functions such as temperature regulation. Early diagnosis is essential in order to improve the affected individual’s quality of life.
Corticobasal Degeneration
This is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the nerve cell loss and atrophy (shrinkage) of various parts of the brain. This condition commonly develops among individuals between the ages of 45 – 70. Corticobasal degeneration presents as the movement disorder or cognitive deficits. The common features of this disease include the rigidity and the inability to move the affected limbs effectively. The later stage can present difficulty performing specific tasks such as using the tools and tripping or falling when the leg becomes affected. They can also present a condition called dystonia which is the involuntary stiffening and twisting of the affected limb. The language difficulty includes problem finding the words or naming, reading and writing impairment. There is no treatment for this disease but medications are focused at various symptoms evident in each case. Medications can include muscle relaxants, anti-seizures drugs and antidepressants. Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy can be beneficial for the affected individuals.
References
http://www.human-memory.net/disorders.html
https://www.lbda.org/content/treatment-options
http://memory.ucsf.edu/education/diseases/cbd
