Coincidentally, the latest issue of * Tufts U. Health & Nutrition Letter * covers that very topic. The wesite is http://www.healthletter.tufts.edu but that doesn’t even cover the October issue.
A summary of what it says. You go into the kitchen, but forget what you wanted. You bump into an old friend, but can’t remember her name, etc. Memory slip-ups tend to ccur more frequently with age, but while they are disconcerting, they’re not necessarily signs of serious trouble. While aging is inevitable, memory loss is not. Some ways to avoid it: eat a diet rich in antioxidants, exercise, exercise mentally, and manage stress.
The latest research points to a loss of synapses, not neurons. Free radicals can cause destroys synapses and antioxidants inhibit that. Hypertension can also cause these problems as it causes a plaque build-up on the blood vessel walls.
When you’re distracted, info can slip out of working memory (which is the same as short-term memory, according to this article) before you’ve had a chance to act on it or to store it in long-term memory.
Forgetfullness can be a symptom of a number of serious conditions. The following are signs that memory lapses should be evaluated:
(1) Profound memory loss, including the inability to recognize friends and family.
(2) Getting lost in familiar neighborhoods.
(3) Inability to learn simple facts, such as names.
(4) Forgetting wel-learned info, such as your phone #.
(5) Becoming disoriented, showing poor judgment, and becoming confused easily.
(6) A significant change in memory over a short period of time, such as six months.
(7) Forgetfullness that gets in the way of daily life or work performance.
