Memory loss (amnesia) consists of the inability to remember past events or a high degree of forgetfulness. It can be temporary or permanent, depending on the cause. Normal aging may make more difficult to retain new information, but it does not evoke an important memory loss if it is not accompanied with a disease. There are many possible causes of memory loss. When it disrupts daily life it is consider dementia. One of the conditions producing dementia is Alzheimer disease.

Symptoms
It is important to remark that about 40% of people in the elderly suffer some type of memory problem, but only 15% of them are diagnose as dementia. There are symptoms that allow distinguish a less severe memory loss from dementia. Dementia is characterized by:
Reduced judgment.
Become uninterested in social activities.
Difficulties to control emotions.
Lose empathy.
Mood alterations.

Causes
Causes of most types of dementia, including Alzheimer's, are not well understood. But, there are many other kinds of memory loss and multiple possible causes, as for example:
Depression and stress.
Some medications.
Alcohol or drug abuse.
Hormonal problems (thyroid).
Nutritional deficiency.
Sleep deprivation.
Stroke or head injury.
Brain infections (HIV, tuberculosis, and syphilis).
Some neurological diseases (Huntington's and Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis).
Complications from anesthesia.

Prevention
There is no cure for most types of dementia, but there some treatments that can improve symptoms. Several medications, for instance, have been recently approved for Alzheimer's disease: cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. When memory loss is secondary to a treatable disease it usually improves after recovery from that condition. In addition, diet seems to be useful to prevent and in some cases to improve memory loss. Foods that are considered protective of the cardiovascular system are also advised in this condition. For example, a typically recommended diet is the Mediterranean, a diet consisting mainly of olive oil, nuts, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, fish, shellfish, and nuts. Vitamin E, Ginkgo biloba, Omega-3 fatty acids and phosphatidylserine also seem to be beneficial.

BDST: 1714 HRS, Oct-26, 2014