The Aging Brain, Temporary Memory Loss, and Alzheimer’s Disease

Do temporary moments of forgetfulness frighten you? I think the thing that scares us most when we have those moments is the worry about Alzheimers. I have always had an excellent memory, BUT I have also had my forgetful moments since I was very young. When we are young, we pass these moments off lightly. The word “illness” is not in the vocabulary of healthy youth. As we age and begin to change our perception of invincibility, words like fear, illness, and death take on more meaning. Certain illnesses are more frightening than others are, but the loss one’s mental capacity to Alzheimers does not just attract an occasional passing thought. Moments of forgetfulness, or “senior moments” as some like to call them, are not merely joke material. They can be extremely upsetting to anyone concerned about being afflicted by this dread disease.

Research

Scientific research into the age-related deterioration of the human brain is progressing rapidly. Each new discovery eliminates previous theories and replaces them with the current findings. Plaques and tangles develop in the brain as part of the aging process. One theory states that the development of these plaques, once considered the primary cause of Alzheimer’s, may not be the culprit after all. The disease may be related to an inflammatory process. Aluminum has also been named as a contributing factor in this disease and studies in this area have shown that silicon-rich mineral water can be used to remove aluminum from the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Available Options

Until scientists can unravel the mystery of the aging process of the human brain, we have options to delay its progression. Get plenty of rest, eat a healthy diet, take vitamins, exercise, control weight and blood pressure, participate in mental exercises that will increase brain functioning. Some recommended activities include crossword puzzles, Sudoku, studying a new language, playing word games like scrabble or jumble. An excellent recommendation is to get a Nintendo DS and Brain Age. Any effort made to learn something new or to challenge your brain will aid in the development of new brain cells. We can all use a few more of those.

Triggers

Lack of sufficient sleep can trigger temporary lapses of memory. Another trigger for my own forgetful moments is tackling too many things at the same time. My brain goes into overload, and I will forget why I entered a room, where I placed that shopping list I started an hour ago, or what I intended to do with whatever it is I am holding in my hand. When I am on overload, I am easily distracted and will sometimes lose my train of thought. It is extremely frustrating to be in the middle of a paragraph and suddenly forget what you are writing about. A release mechanism that allows a brain that has been running at full speed to relax for a moment can also trigger temporary moments of forgetfulness. However, this is only my theory and is not a proven scientific fact–at least not yet.