Psychology Today
This post is NOT devoted to memory problems related to normal aging, also called age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) where there is still some controversy whether it truly exists or there are other factors. Rather this blog is devoted to memory problems related to three main causes: Disease and trauma we have little ability to control. Neglect, however, you do have control over. To quote William Earnest Healey, “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.”
In my last post, I presented a detailed explanation of the various parts of memory: registration, storage and retrieval. In earlier posts, I explained about the various locations of specific functions of the brain along with an explanation of the hubs. This background information is crucial in understanding how the brain functions. It is also important for understanding the effects of the various causes related to memory problems, which may include one or several aspects, such as having an attention problem that is causing poor storage of information. Or you may have paid attention and even concentrated on a lecture, yet you didn’t store it correctly resulting in a problem with retrieval of that information. Another example is that you got the information, stored it correctly, yet your ability to retrieve is what is at fault.
Disease related problems are not due to any form of specific trauma, rather due to some form of disease, infection, or dysfunction of neurotransmitter or neuromodulators.