Peter R Kaplan, Ph.D., P.A.
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NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSOCIATES
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Peter R Kaplan, Ph.D., P.A.
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Memory Loss With Aging: Should I be concerned?How does aging change the brain?Beginning when you're in your 20s, you begin to lose brain cells a few at a time. Your body also starts to make less of the chemicals your brain cells need to work. The older you are, the more these changes can affect your memory. Aging may affect memory by changing the way your brain stores information and by making it harder to recall stored information. Your remote memories aren't usually affected by aging, but your recent memory may be affected. You may forget names of people you've met recently, or have difficulty remembering the names of famouse people. These are normal changes. What about when I know a word but can't recall it?This is usually just a glitch in your memory. You'll almost always remember the word with time. This may become more common as you age. It can be very frustrating, but it's not usually serious. How can I tell if my memory problems are serious?
A memory problem is serious when it affects
your daily living. If you sometimes forget names, you're probably okay. You may have a more serious problem if you have trouble remembering how to
do things you've done many times before, getting to a place you've been to
often, or doing things that use steps, like following a recipe.
Another difference between normal memory problems and dementia is that normal memory loss doesn't get much worse over time. Dementia gets much worse over several months to several years. It may be hard to figure out on your own if you have a serious problem. Talk to us about any concerns you have. Along with your family doctor we can help you determine if your concerns reflect normal aging or some other process. What are some other causes of memory problems?Many things other than aging can cause memory problems. These include depression, other illnesses, dementia (severe problems with memory and thinking, such as Alzheimer's disease), side effects of drugs, strokes, a head injury and alcoholism.
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