Scientists have explained why people forget things, words and events

Recently I noticed that people’s names, street names and... the most common words that I used every day for many years began to fall out of my memory.
I wonder what could be the cause of such changes and how to restore full brain function? Elena, 45 years old

We all know that as we age, our cognitive functions decline. And sometimes this can happen unexpectedly. We suggest asking yourself 24 test questions, the answers to which will help determine the cause of memory deterioration. After all, as you know, asking the right question is already half the solution to the problem.

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Well-known scientist, neuroscientist and neurologist, author of the book “The Ageless Brain,” Dale Bredesen, believes that reliable laboratory tests have recently appeared that allow us to identify biochemical and genetic factors that contribute to the deterioration of cognitive functions. But more on that later. First, let's look at the reasons that can affect memory deterioration.

Words are forgotten - the main signs of memory failure

Many people worry when they forget words and information. This is correct, because memory impairment is one of the signs of Alzheimer's disease. This list will give you a clue when forgetfulness is just your hallmark, and when you should sound the alarm: • Your memory may be fading due to age. The aging process is inevitable, and at 60 you don’t remember everything as well as at 20, this is obvious. So if you're older and you can't remember someone's name, you probably just need to remind them; • sometimes, due to physical and mental stress at work, you may forget, for example, to go to the store after work. It is impossible to keep everything under control, so slow down a little and relax; • Chronic lack of sleep also affects our memory. Lack of sleep leads to changes in the part of the brain that is responsible for memory, attention and the ability to remember; • our usual actions have become so automatic that we simply forget whether we turned off the stove or iron, closed the front door, or fed the cat. This is how our brain saves energy; • you may be taking medications that tend to affect memory; read the instructions carefully; • Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol also takes away your memory, some parts of it, and possibly entire episodes. The more alcohol you drink, the less likely you are to remember anything; • interruptions in memory function can occur due to injuries that have impacted the brain. If you seriously hit your head, it is best to see a doctor; • there have been cases of dementia in your family - Alzheimer's disease occurs more often after 65, but in 10% it appears at an earlier age. If you notice memory lapses, disorientation in space, loss of time, then you should consult a specialist. If you identify the disease at an early stage, it will be easier to cope and live with it. Around the world, scientists are discovering new treatments every day; • serious memory impairment also occurs due to hemorrhages and oncology. But at the same time, it is not only memory that suffers, but a whole set of abilities.

If, while passing by a person you know, you don’t remember his name or forgot to pick up your coat from the dry cleaner, then you shouldn’t run to the doctor, maybe you just need a vacation. If you forget something and can’t remember it at all, this is already a cause for concern and it is better to check with a specialist.

Disease

A disease that causes a person to have problems remembering information is usually understood as multiple sclerosis. It is often attributed specifically to older people, but it can occur even in minors. The name of the disease is due to the fact that a person has several scattered lesions where there is damage that provokes such forgetfulness.

With sclerosis, inflammation develops in the central nervous system, after which the body begins to fight itself, destroying the myelin that forms the cells of the brain and spinal cord. As a result, memory gradually deteriorates, and nerve fibers begin to die. Most often, the disease does not appear for a long time, and then its signs begin to suddenly emerge. There are also frequent periods of remission, when the patient’s condition improves for some time.

Doctors distinguish several types of sclerosis:

clinically isolated syndrome – primary manifestations of the disease;
remitting – there is an alternation of remissions and relapses;
secondary progressive – memory impairment is constantly increasing, remissions are weak;
remitting-progressive – remissions alternate with significant relapses;
primary progressive – the disease develops continuously without remissions.

A disease in which you forget everything can be benign or malignant. In the first case, no noticeable development of sclerosis is observed for 15 years. In the second, it progresses and leads to a serious condition within 3 years.

Other illnesses can also lead to memory problems. The most common ones are: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, amnesia or dementia.

“I started to forget the most ordinary words”

Recently I noticed that people’s names, street names and... the most common words that I used every day for many years began to fall out of my memory. I wonder what could be the cause of such changes and how to restore full brain function?

Elena, 45 years old

New Generation Tests to Assess Cognitive Decline

Now let's take a closer look at modern tests, which, according to neuroscientist Dale Bredesen, are the most effective. He described these tests in detail in his new book, The Ageless Brain.

Neuronal exosomes

Neuronal exosomes—tiny fragments of cells and cellular materials—have provided a step toward creating a new generation of tests aimed at detecting Alzheimer's disease, risk of developing it, and response to treatment. This is something of a neurological Holy Grail: a simple way to assess brain chemistry and neural signaling through a blood test.

How can this be? How can a blood test tell us about brain signaling? Imagine that you are a private investigator and you need to find out what is happening in an impenetrable mansion. There is no way to go inside. What to do? Let's go check the trash cans, right?

It turns out that the brain - that same impregnable mansion under the skull - “throws out” neuronal exosomes: fragments and secretions from cells that enter the blood. The diameter of these tiny cellular fragments and materials is approximately one-seventh the diameter of a red blood cell. For every ounce of blood there are billions of exosomes! This is a great thing: you take a blood sample, isolate the exosomes and identify the most important parameters of brain chemistry - exactly what makes it possible to determine the risk of developing dementia.

Professor Edward Goatzl, together with colleagues from the University of California, San Francisco and the National Institutes of Health, were able to identify markers of Alzheimer's disease in neuronal exosomes, as well as traces of insulin resistance in patients with Alzheimer's disease, finding that they can occur up to ten years before diagnosis. Apparently, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Retinal scan

Retinal scanning is another amazing method for early diagnosis of the risk of developing dementia. Amyloid PET scans allow us to see deposits in the brain, but this is only part of the picture.

The inner part of the eyeball, or retina, is an extension of the brain, so it reflects everything that happens in it. Examination of retina for the presence of amyloidosis is a promising method. In this way, many (often hundreds) of plaques can be identified, their exact location can be determined, and then it can be seen whether treatment has reduced their number.

Moreover, the innovative method allows us to detect the smallest plaques, which can serve as an accurate marker of the effectiveness of treatment, and also help us answer the main question: does amyloidosis affect retinal blood vessels (and also the brain). This is extremely important because sometimes amyloid deposits in blood vessels cause hemorrhage (bleeding). In such cases, the patient should avoid blood thinning agents such as fish oil and aspirin.

NOR test (new object recognition)

One of the most effective tests for assessing memory loss in laboratory rodents is the NOR (novel object recognition) test. Imagine that you woke up in the morning, opened the garage, and there was a shiny new car standing there. Most likely, you will look at it, touch it, sit behind the wheel, because something completely new and unexpected has appeared in your little world. An old car would hardly deserve such close attention.

However, in the absence of memory, it is impossible to distinguish the old from the new, in which case absolutely everything seems new. So it is with rodents. Those who have good memory devote extra time to a new object, while those who have poor memory do not. NOR allows assessment of dementive brain changes in rodents and testing of potential treatments. For example, research has shown that damage to the medial temporal lobes of the brain (seen in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease) leads to a loss of the ability to remember and recognize new things.

The memory-based reaction to everything new can be traced in humans. In 2021, Neurotrack developed a five-minute visual online test for assessing cognitive abilities (Imprint Cognitive Assessment Test), which, based on eye movements, determines which objects and other stimuli a person perceives as new. Thus, the test detects dysfunction of the hippocampus and adjacent structures, identifying people with dysfunction in these areas of the brain and, possibly, who are in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Now you can not only ask yourself important questions, but also do everything to ensure that negative reasons do not affect your brain. And perhaps this is the first step that will help preserve cognitive abilities for a long time.

From our article you will learn how to distinguish simple forgetfulness from memory loss.

When we forget something, we always feel awkward. Given the high prevalence of Alzheimer's disease, memory lapses are quite scary. However, in many cases, what we mistake for memory impairment turns out to be simple forgetfulness. How to distinguish normality from disease? Below you will find 5 examples of physiological memory decline caused by age-related changes. “If you are concerned about your condition, consult your doctor. The examination will help rule out possible causes of memory impairment,” says psychiatrist Harry Small, author of several books on memory and cognition.

It's not serious: forgetfulness does not interfere with daily life

We all suffer from time to time when we forget simple things: the title of a movie, someone's name, an important date, the reason we are walking into a room. This periodic slowdown in the extraction of information from the depths of our brain is a completely normal phenomenon associated with the aging process and lifestyle.

However, when memory impairment interferes with everyday life, then this is a reason to consult a doctor. The activities we perform every day require basic skills that a healthy brain never forgets. If you continue to work, cook, get dressed, do things you love, and read books despite forgetfulness, then you are doing well.

It's not serious: "brain training" brings improvement

Currently, there are many ways of “brain training” (computer programs, cognitive therapy, special benefits), which are aimed at improving the condition of synapses and brain function. Experts believe that "brain training" does not restore memory in Alzheimer's disease. However, the question of the effect of “exercise” on the brain of a healthy person remains open. “Our brain compensates for memory loss, and we can help it. If you do the "exercises" and see results, that's a good sign. Dementia is a disease in which the memory of new information is impaired. If you are still able to receive new information, then you are able to remember it.

It's not serious: you started taking a new drug

Before you panic about memory problems, think about what changes have happened in your life and how they might affect your brain function. Side effects of medications often cause memory loss. Many older adults take many medications at the same time, increasing the risk of drug interactions. Therefore, some doctors believe that any new symptom should be considered a side effect unless proven otherwise. Medicines that affect short-term memory include: sedatives, heartburn medications, incontinence medications, statins, and antidepressants.

It's not serious: no one notices your forgetfulness

“People around you may notice your forgetfulness, but not tell you about it, so as not to offend you. However, conflict situations related to memory impairment will certainly arise in the family. Such conflicts indicate the presence of a disease, in particular dementia,” says psychiatrist Ken Robbins from the University of Wisconsin (USA). Thus, relatives become the first to “make” the diagnosis, and often they are right. Family and friends are better at detecting early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease than traditional screening and high-tech testing, according to a 2010 study from the University of Washington. Early symptoms include repeating the same stories or questions, social withdrawal, and disruption of daily life.

But if your loved ones don’t tell you about your forgetfulness, then most likely everything is fine.

This is not serious: forgetfulness occurs due to stress, lack of sleep and workload

Before you beat yourself up, think about how much work you do. Our brain is not designed to solve several issues at the same time. You shift your attention from one issue to another, and when you are engaged in one issue, you do not pay attention to others, which leads to short-term memory loss. The task becomes even more difficult if you use the same part of the brain, such as the speech centers for talking on the phone, reading information on a screen, and typing. Another stressful factor for the brain is lack of sleep, since the processing and organization of received information occurs during sleep. And finally, stressful situations also negatively affect brain function.

People with true dementia forget regardless of the amount of sleep, work, or stress.

If you are worried about your memory, our special project “How to Preserve Memory” is especially for you.

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Can dementia be prevented?

Although there are no known treatments that are guaranteed to prevent Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, there are ways to help maintain long-term cognitive health.

Risk of developing dementia	What can be done
A diet high in saturated fat, salt and sugar and low in fibre.	Healthy, balanced diet. Eating a diet low in saturated fat, without much salt, sugar and red meat. Adding fish, fruits and vegetables to your diet.
Overweight or obese.	Weight loss. Even losing 5-10% weight can help reduce your risk of developing dementia.
Lack of regular physical activity.	It is important to sit less, get up regularly and move around. For example, climb the stairs, take a walk every day.
Smoking.	Quitting a bad habit.
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.	Reduce the consumption of alcoholic beverages to a minimum.
Diseases of the cardiovascular system; diabetes; kidney disease; stroke.	Get medical examinations regularly. If you have diseases, follow the recommendations of doctors. Maintain normal blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Being mentally and socially active in older age also reduces the risk of memory problems.

If you have a family member who has been diagnosed with dementia and is experiencing increasing symptoms, it may be time to start looking for senior care facilities that offer 24-hour care.

Detailed information on registration and accommodation in the private boarding house “Blago” can be obtained by calling Khabarovsk 7 (4212) 69-16-48

Kristina Si - I'm starting to forget (lyrics)

The noisy city lit its lights. It hurts to remember and don’t call again. Last night you couldn't understand - I knew exactly what to explain?

Distance beats in my temples, Excuses sound in your words. The intersections are saturated with spring. Echoes. Forget about you and me.

Chorus: I don’t want to wait until the morning for your love and wait for your call. I want to dance all night. Doubts away! I don't want to wait until the morning for your love and wait for your call. I want to dance all night. Doubts go away - I’m starting to forget you.

In the reflection of neon lights Everything is in motion and I am among friends. I'm in the car. Bright Moscow. Warm wind and dizzy.

I don't miss it - I'm too young. I turn off Syava until the morning. Echoes. Life moves forward. I hear sounds - music is calling.

And how to stop everything that happened between us - The past goes away forever, forgive me. You are unlikely to be able to change anything... I will not be able to forgive you. And, the past goes away forever, forgive me...