Memory-related problems are common among elderly people. They are so common, in fact, that it is easy to think that suddenly appearing symptoms such as forgetfulness are just a part of normal aging. This might be the case, but occasionally more serious conditions are behind forgetfulness in an elderly person.
Alzheimer's Disease and Forgetfulness
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5.3 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, and every 70 seconds, someone in America develops this disease. It is characterized by impairments in cognitive functions, such as memory. A patient may suffer from AD for a fairly long time without knowing anything about it because the illness progresses slowly. Walter Rocca, M.D., from the Mayo Clinic, reports in his study that mild forgetfulness is among the first signs of AD. In the early stage of AD, a patient might have difficulties remembering recent events, or he might ask some question again and again. An Alzheimer’s patient may forget how to perform some activities that she use to do with ease, such as cooking, playing cards or dancing.
Depression and Forgetfulness
According to the Glasgow Memory Clinic, forgetfulness and other memory-related problems are common among depressed individuals. Now scientists seem to be able to explain why. During stressful events, cortisol levels seem to be slightly elevated, which affects the hippocampus and area of the brain that is essential for memory. Yvette Sheline, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at the Washington University in St. Louis, used magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, to measure the hippocampus of 48-year-old women ages 23 to 86. Half of them were depressed, and the rest did not exhibit any depression-like symptoms. It was discovered that the hippocampus of the depressed women was smaller, and they scored lower on memory tests than the non-depressed group, regardless of age.
Medicines That Cause Forgetfulness
Forgetfulness is common among drug and alcohol abusers, but certain medicines also list forgetfulness as one of their side effects. Approximately 163,000 people in the United States are estimated to experience serious cognitive impairment either caused or worsened by drugs.
For example, a beta-blocker medication, such as Inderal, generic name propranolol, or Lopressor, generic name metoprolol, may cause short-term memory problems. Similar results have been reported in patients who use such medications which contain the active ingredient methyldopa. Additionally, many antidepressants cause memory-related problems, especially in the beginning of the treatment. The same applies to anti-anxiety medicines like lorazepam and alprazolam or sleeping pills like triazolam. Benzodiazepines that are used to treat such disorders as anxiety, restless legs and social phobias seem to cause forgetfulness. Tranquilizers that are used to treat such conditions as Tourette syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome also seem to cause forgetfulness in some patients. Some drugs aimed at reducing high levels of cholesterol have also been criticized for such side effects. Even over-the-counter medicines, such as the antihistamine diphenhydramine, have been linked to forgetfulness.
