Temporary Dementia and Memory Loss May Be Caused By Environmental Factors

Did you know that dementia and memory loss caused by environmental, physiological and emotional factors may be reversible?

The following causes of dementia and memory loss may be REVERSIBLE.  If you or a loved one is experiencing memory loss or dementia, consult a doctor quickly- especially if onset is sudden!  Memory loss and dementia may be treatable and reversible- especially if they are caused by:

• Smoking Cigarettes (which reduces the oxygen supply to the brain).   Leslie Jacobsen, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine, and her research team completed a study which found that Adolescent smokers have impairments in accuracy of working memory performance- the type of memory that is used to manipulate information.    Parents, consider this carefully!  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) statistics indicate that over 4.5 million teenagers in the USA smoke cigarettes.   Of late, there have been interesting research findings that nicotine, a component of cigarettes, may improve memory and cognitive funcitoning in seniors.   One recent study determined that one of nicotine’s metabolites, cotinine, may improve memory and even protect brain cells from diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.   In fact, several recent studies  suggest that nicotine may one day be helpful in the treatment of neurological disorders.  A recent study of a small sample of seniors conducted by the Duke University Medical Team determined that four weeks of nicotine treatment resulted in halved times for decision making on a standardized test of memory, and increased the ability of the participants to focus their attention.  Neuroscients Michael Kuhar of Emory University warns:  “These findings don’t mean people should smoke! Any benefits from the nicotine in cigarettes or other tobacco products are far outweighed by the proven harm of using those products.   But pure nicotine-like compounds as medications do show promise for treating human disorders.   Read more about cigarettes and memory..
• Drinking Alcohol (no question that can impair motor functioning and judgment.. just ask the police!)  Dr. David Thomas of Tampa, Florida recently posted an interesting video on YouTube about Alcohol and Memory Loss.  He notes that short term memory loss is a common component of alcohol dependency.
• Drug Interactions (some drugs taken to reduce cholesterol levels have been associated with memory impairment.  Some cancer drugs have been shown to cause memory loss and confusion, too.   Many people with memory loss also experience depression, and take antidepressents.  These individuals should determine whether the drug for depression may negatively react to grapefruit juice.  According to the Mayo Clinic,   grapefuit juice proides outstanding nutrients, but may interfere with the breakdown of cholesterol drugs and channel blockers- and so lead to dangerously high levels of these drugs in the blood.  See more information by MayoClinic.com.  Also, check out this partial list of drug interactions that may cause memory problems.
• Infections and/or Inflammation of the Brain (which may be treatable with antibiotics).  In a recent study published in Neurology, Researchers in the U.K. studied 222 elderly patients with Alzheimer’s Disease.  They found that urinary tract infections or infections of the chest could double the speed of  memory loss.   Researchers have long realized that there may be a correlation between inflammatory processes and Alzheimer’s Disease, but it is not yet fully understood.   The culprit in memory loss may be inflammation caused by infection- so take care to see your doctor an get adequate treatment for infections of all kinds.  Visit the infection and short term memory loss symptom checker at wrongdiagnosis.com.
• Depression. (Depression can manifest as slowed thinking, confusion and inability to concentrate)  Consider which comes first:  Depression or Memory Loss? Caregivers may experience depression, too, as a result of the difficulties and challenges involved in balancing personal life, work life and caregiving. If you are experiencing memory problems and/or are depressed, Ask a Doctor!  Chatting with others experiencing the same issues may help, too.  Chat with others experiencing memory loss and persons who love them at the Friends Forum.
  
• Anxiety (Like depression, anxiety is marked by chemical changes in the brain which can cause memory problems.)   Anxiety is caused by stress.  When an individual is under stress, the body produces a hormone called Cortisol.  Too much cortisol interferes with the body’s ability to communicate signals and information to the brain, resulting in lost information- “senior moments” and memory loss.  Reduce anxiety bey reducing stress.  Exercise is a great way to reduce stress.  Doctors may prescribe anti-anxiety medication, but beware:  withdrawal from anti-anxiety medication can lead to memory loss, too!
• Gum Disease (Yes, it’s true.  According to a study in Psychosomatic Medicine (Oct 2008), there is a significant correlation between gum disease and reduced cognitive functioning.   It may be that the common denominator for both gum disease and impaired cognitive functioning is diet and nutrition!   A study conducted by West Virginia University found a link between gum disease and memory loss.  “Older people might want to know there’s more reason to keep their mouths clean – to brush and floss – than ever,” said Richard Crout, D.M.D., Ph.D., an expert on gum disease and associate dean for research in the WVU School of Dentistry.    A research team at New York University led by Dr. Shiela Strauss determined that persons with gum disease are at increased risk of developing diabetes, too!  This information adds to a growing body of evidence with respect to the link between periodontal disease and diabetes.  Published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry, outcome recommendations include the potential for screening for diabetes in the context of dental exams.
• Allergies Anyone with allergies has experienced the slow thinking, fatigue, sense of operating in a “fog” and general malaise that accompanies allergies.  Watch out for hay fever! One study measuring cognitive functioning, including attention span, short term memory, long term memory and speed of information processing in persons with and without hay fever discovered that individuals with hay fever performed the longer duration cognitive functioning tasks more poorly than those without hay fever.   Memory loss associated with allergies may be reversible with proper treatment- check with your doctor!
• Vitamin Deficiency (Vitamin B12 deficiency is notorious for causing memory loss, as well as a host of other unpleasantness such as constipation, sore mouth and problems maintaining balance.  Thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1, can easily be depleted from the body by smoking and drinking.  Memory impairment, as well as difficulty coordinating balance and vision problems can result from Vitamin B1 deficiency.   The Journal of Geriatric Psychology and Neurology (Feb. 2009) presented research evidencing that from a survey of 1766 adults over aged 65, those persons with the lowest levels of Vitamin D in their systems were twice as likely as those individuals with the highest levels of Vitamin D in their systems to show indicators of cognitive impairment when taking tests that measured memory, attention, and spatial orientation.   A good multivitamin formulated for seniors may provide protection from vitamin deficiencies that can impair the mind and memory.