There was an article by Gary Small, a well known UCLA memory expert, titled “Paul McCartney’s memory lapses.” Apparently, Paul McCartney (who is now 68 and too old to be a baby boomer) admitted that he has times such as during a recent concert at Fenway Park in Boston when he cannot recall the lyrics to his old songs – the ones he has been performing for years. Dr. Small used the article to discuss “normal memory loss associated with aging.” The article intrigued me, so I pursued other examples of singers experiencing memory lapses for lyrics. Interestingly, it is not only the aged rockers who forget lyrics. The examples are legion. I will only present a few. Mick Jagger, 65 at the time, repeated a verse from Ruby Tuesday in a 2006 concert in Glasgow. There is a nearly […]
Memory
We get so focused on Alzheimer’s disease that we often forget that there are many other possible causes of progressive cognitive decline and dementia. One such disease that merits attention is Parkinson’s disease which is the third most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder behind Alzheimer’s and Lewy body disease. There are an estimated one million people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and 50,000 new cases each year. Parkinson’s disease is more common in men than women by a factor of about 2:1. Age is the only known risk factor as the average age of onset is 60 and most cases of Parkinson’s disease occur in those 50 and older. Family history does not appear to be a significant risk factor for developing Parkinson’s disease. “Parkinsonism” is associated with a variety of causes including viral encephalitis, use of anti-psychotic medications, carbon monoxide poisoning, […]
I often get asked two very important questions. How do I know when I should seek a memory evaluation and who do I see? This is a more complicated question than it sounds. If you have concerns early in the stages of memory decline you will easily pass all of the brief screening tests now in use and be told that you are fine. I have interviewed hundreds of clients worried about their memory and I have a set of questions that I ask. If you answer yes to one of more of these issues listed below, seek further evaluation no matter what you score on screening tests. Frequently repetitive Trouble remembering recent conversations Trouble remembering recent events Trouble remembering appointments Frequently misplace objects Trouble performing tasks that require many steps such as balancing a checkbook, cooking a meal, using […]
There is a flurry of articles appearing in both the medical and popular press as many experts are attempting to change the criteria for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. The new criteria are based on the “amyloid hypothesis.’ Amyloid is brain protein that sometimes goes awry and is associated with the formation of plaques on neurons. The theory is based on the belief that abnormal amyloids cause Alzheimer’s disease. If this is so, the theory suggests that treatment strategies should be based on arresting or reversing the creation of amyloid plaques. Most current clinical trials of medications for Alzheimer’s disease are based on this hypothesis. By the newly proposed criteria, finding plaque on a PET scan or in cerebrospinal fluids would be cause to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in persons without memory loss or other symptoms. If adopted, many would be told either […]
Having a better memory is really quite simple. Anything given less than one minute of thought will fade from your memory. We have all known this for years. Consider taking notes at lectures. Notes allow us to think longer about the point we feel is important and they focus our attention. Additionally, taking notes allows us to review the important facts which again give more time to learn and later remember what’s important. In a world filled with massive and multiple sources of information we often ignore the fact that we learn most things well by spending time with the skill or information we want to remember. The more minutes you spend the better the memory. Indeed, Malcolm Galdwell, author of Outliers, points out that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert. Think of the multitude of […]
Behavioral problems like aggression, agitation, and hallucinations are common among those with memory loss and dementia. They are often treated with medications as a class called “antipsychotics” or “neuroleptics.” The newer medications in this class include Risperdal, Zyprexa, Geodon, Seroquel, and Abilify. Examples of older medications in this class of drugs include Thorazine, Haldol, and Melleril and are not widely used today. The newer medications are used in about 90% of prescriptions written. The belief was that these newer (and more expensive) medications are safer and more effective than older medications. However, these assumptions have been challenged by recent research. The overall risk of death from use of these medications is low – about 3%. However these drugs affect heart rhythm and may cause a higher rate of sudden cardiac deaths in vulnerable individuals. This is true for individuals treated […]
Although aging does not cause memory loss, advancing age is the greatest risk factor for cognitive impairment. This creates a fear of progressive decline such as that caused by dementing conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, we are confronted by many who propose that aging is a disease and the solution lays in “Anti-Aging Medicine.” The notion here is that there are “natural” cures for aging that traditional medicine is hiding from us. The problem is that creative marketing often hides the facts. As recently as 5 years ago there were a number of supplements that were viewed as essential to slow aging and prevent cardiovascular as well as memory decline. Epidemiological studies demonstrated a clear association between consumption of several herbs, vitamins, anti-inflammatory agents, and hormones (e.g., Gingko Biloba, ibuprofen, estrogen replacement therapy, high dose vitamin E, and vitamin B12) […]
Have you ever lost your train of thought? Stared into space? Experienced daytime sleepiness? Had disorganized or illogical thoughts? Of course, we all have these experiences. There are days when I am not as focused and days where I am very focused and I’m never at my best by 4:00 in the afternoon as I am in the morning. The clinical term for these lapses is fluctuating consciousness. It should come as no surprise that fluctuating consciousness is more pronounced in dementias. It is startling how lucid a person with Alzheimer’s or Lewy body disease can be one minute and how confused the next. Fluctuating confusion is a hallmark diagnostic sign of Lewy body disease as it is characteristic of nearly 90% of those with this form of cognitive decline – even before it progresses to the point of dementia. […]
What makes us forget? There are a number of factors that make forgetting more likely. The first step in improving memory is to plan for remembering. Anticipate where there will be challenges and plan strategies to help. Here are a few common problems and solutions. Problem: Forgetting what someone tells us. Solution: Take notes. Mark appointments in your calendar the instant you make them. Place a note pad and pen by every phone. Make a grocery list and don’t forget to take it with you. Record important conversations on tape. Problem: Difficulty following characters in a novel or learning new facts. Solution: Inside the front cover of most books is a blank page. Use the blank page to write the name, a couple of facts, and the page number for each character as they are introduced. This extra effort will […]
We constantly read about the need for mental stimulation to enhance the efficiency of our brains. The current catch word is “neural plasticity.” This process involves the elaboration of brain function by activity. We learn to speak, to walk, to ski, to golf because of our brain’s innate ability to learn from experience. This is true for those of all ages. Indeed one of the essential ingredients in treating progressive memory loss is keeping engaged in doing and learning. The subject doesn’t matter. It is in the doing that counts. This principle even applies to those with “early Alzheimer’s disease” or “mild cognitive impairment.” The key to successful treatment of dementias — keep engaged. No matter what stage of memory loss, human beings need to be active in the world. They need stimulation for their brain as much as the […]
