Memory Loss - Forget all you know
Memories are what make us who we are
What is Memory and Memory Loss?
Memory loss, also known as amnesia, can be temporary or permanent. Mild memory loss tends to increase with age and is generally not a cause for concern however, progressive memory loss due to illnesses like Alzheimer's disease can be serious. The brain consists of different memory types, including:
Short term - new information is stored for a brief time. If the information isn't further processed, it will soon be forgotten.
Long term - information from the short term memory can be shifted to the long term memory
Declarative - conscious memories of information and events
Non-declarative - once learned, habits such as driving a car are ingrained and automatic.
Where is Memory Stored in the Brain?
Our understanding of the brain and memory has vastly developed over the last few decades. From the literature, it can be determined that memory is distributed throughout the nervous system, with different brain regions being responsible for different memory types. Located in the medial temporal lobe, the hippocampus is responsible for learning and memory encoding. The neocortex is a region of the brain responsible for priming, whereby stimulus influences a response to a subsequent stimulus, without conscious guidance or intention. The amygdala acts as the control centre for emotions, emotional behaviour, and motivation. Located in the hindbrain, the cerebellum coordinates eye movements and plays a role in movement coordination and execution.
In summary, memory is distributed in different parts of the brain. As a result, when there is damage to one part of the brain it can cause different effects on memory depending on where the damage occurs.
What Contributes to Memory Loss?
Everyone forgets things from time to time however, sudden or progressive decline in memory can indicate an underlying pathology. Possible pathologies include Alzheimer's disease, Dementia, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), where the severity of memory loss is abnormal compared to someone of the same age, without other signs of dementia. Understanding the possible causes associated with memory loss is important for reducing your risk of development. Risks factors for memory loss are described as modifiable and non-modifiable.
Modifiable Risk factors:
Physical inactivity
Poor diet
Low levels of cognitive engagement
Excessive alcohol and/or drug consumption
Smoking
Non-Modifiable Risk factors
Head injuries
Severe illness or seizures
Stroke and/or transient ischaemic attack (mini stroke)
Family history
Age
How Exercise can help with Memory Retention
The rapidly growing body of literature strongly suggests that exercise, specifically aerobic exercise, may attenuate cognitive impairment and reduce risk of dementia. Healthy adults who completed aerobic exercise were associated with significantly improved cognitive scores. More specifically, a year of aerobic exercise in seniors was associated with increased hippocampal volumes and better spatial memory, with subsequent maintenance of grey matter volume. Acute exercise can promote a moderate increase in short and long term memory, compared to long term exercise, which can optimise the responses of the brain responsible for memory processing. When combined together, both acute and long-term exercise interventions can maximise the benefits of aerobic exercise on memory.
