Page 13 - Italina-American Herald - January 2025

ITALIAN-AMERICAN HERALD
JANUARY 2025 | ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM 13
WELLNESS
We all have occasional memory lapses, but memory loss is different
Dr. Domenico
Pratico
Memory loss, also
known as amnesia,
is a term typically
used for any issue
regarding forming,
storing, or recalling
memories. More commonly, it is a condition
we refer to anytime we are in a situation and
forced to say: “I cannot remember.”
Who among us has never walked into a
room and forgotten why we entered? Who
among us has never forgotten the exact
name of an object or tool in our garage or
basement? Can any of these moments be
“memory loss”? Probably not. They are better
defined as memory lapses, which, together
with a modest decline in thinking skills, are
very common as we age.
Memory loss is something more
substantial—it is an unusual forgetfulness.
It is a situation in which we may not be able
to remember new events, recall one or more
memories of the past, or both.
In some cases, the memory loss may be
for a short time and then completely resolve
(transient memory loss). In other cases, it
may persist and, in certain situations, can
even get worse over time.
Please remember that minor changes in
memory as person ages are to be considered
normal. This includes misplacing reading
glasses, not finding the keys of the car or
house, or the occasional difficulty in finding
the right word while having a conversation.
Most importantly, these types of memory
lapses don't typically interfere with daily life
and, for this reason, should not be considered
signs of dementia.
Memory loss could result from an
acute condition, or it can be a progressive
phenomenon. Among the causes of acute
memory loss are situations that abruptly
damage our brain:
•  Brain bleeding
•  Environmental toxins like carbon
monoxide poisoning
•  Cancer treatment (chemotherapy and
radiation therapy)
Concussion and other traumatic brain
injuries
ADOBE
By contrast, slowly progressive memory
loss manifests over time (weeks and months)
because of the subtle but progressive damage
to brain cells. Among the conditions that most
often cause progressive memory loss are:
•  Alzheimer’s disease
•  Frontotemporal dementia
•  Vascular disorders of the brain
I just want to conclude by reiterating that
while aging is not necessarily associated with
memory loss, studies have clearly shown that
it is a condition that is more likely to happen
with increasing age. Finally, please do not
forget that difficulties in remembering, or
memory lapses, can also manifest when we
are under intense stress, very tired (physically
and mentally), or are experiencing issues with
the quality of sleep.
These are what we call “reversible”
memory impairments since, the moment
we take care of these conditions (i.e., stress,
sleep, etc.), our brain activity returns to its
normal function. IAH