4 Memory Systems of the Brain and Dementia

Persons living with Alzheimer's, or a related dementia, cannot remember to remember. As a result, they can no longer either recall or use new memories in the future.Nevertheless, persons living with dementia continue to surprise uswith their stories and memories of the past.Normal aging leads to changes in the brain, especially in areas involved inlearning and memory.Over time,changes in the brain can make it more difficult for an older person to learn new tasks or to retrieve information from memory, such as someone's name.WithAlzheimer's disease or a related dementia, the damage is more severe and ultimately affects larger regions of the brain.What is the Difference Between Alzheimer ’s and DementiaThe human brain contains an estimated 100 billion nerve cells(neurons). Chemical and electrical activity allows these neurons to perform their tasks andto communicate with one another. This elaboratecommunication systemcontrols vital body functions andenables us to think, see, move, talk, remember, and experience emotions.Rewiring My Brain and Stepping into Alzheimer's WorldThere are four different memory systems of the brain -- episodic, semantic, procedural, and working.Memory Systems of the Brain1. Episodic MemoryThe temporal lobe, which contains thehippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex are important to episodic memory,which enables us to learn new information and remember recent events. Thehippocampus is one of the first brain structures damaged in Alzheimer's disease and...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's symptoms brain care of dementia patients causes of alzheimer's dementia memory care memory systems understanding dementia Source Type: blogs