Other names: amnesia, retrograde amnesia, anterograde amnesia, loss of memory, loss of memory

Failure of memory technically called amnesia. Often arises in connection with loss of consciousness induced by injury, poisoning or brain disease (eg. Epileptic seizure). Other times it is a longer process conditional gradual breakup of the intellectual capacity and the development of dementia, in which in addition to memory (however usually dominates) the possible distortion and other cognitive functions – reading, writing, teaching and other skills, including thinking, perception of the world and according it also behavior (see. flag “dementia”).

Sometimes the memory in dementia even spared the expense eg. Counting skills and abstract thinking.

Memory disorders also arise effect of drugs, medicines and metabolic disorders. Chronic alcoholism may be associated with a deficiency of B vitamins (especially B1) and a so called. Korsakoff psychosis with amnesia and confabulation (people blackouts filled fictional storyline).

Memory loss can be partial or complete. We can divide and by the time period for anterograde,disturbance conservation, new facts, and retrograde, failure of equipment older facts and events that have been memorized before the disability. Examples retrograde amnesia is already mentioned alcoholic Korsakoff psychosis. After a brain injury, on the contrary, it is the rule anterograde amnesia when one remembers how the injury was and what happened shortly after, often confused, while imagines the events before the accident, weeks, months etc. When extensive injuries but may be violated memory both . A distinction is still short and long term memory, that is against the disease processes of the brain more resistant.

Amnesia can be caused by stroke, stress situations ( “window”), or is a manifestation of depression, especially in elderly and sick people. Younger people are prone to hysteria may also have memory lapses.

Memory disorder may include if only selective information – eg. Man denies that he is married, unlike reality, or are global, ie. Include all events of life.

Memory capabilities improve certain medications (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, piracetam, pyritinol, meclofenoxát, extracts of ginkgo biloba, and other drugs), some of which are bonded to other prescription and OTC. Aid may in certain cases also psychotherapy.