How to jog your memory

Press, 13 April 1989, Page 10

How to jog your memory

By

JUDI SHEPPARD MISSETT

Q. I can’t do much about getting older, but must I simply accept memory loss? Will it get worse?A. Most of us can expect some short-term memory loss as we age, but fortunately, few people suffer serious loss, and often, dementia is reversible. So much attention has focused on Alzheimer’s disease lately that many people become nervous at the first occurrence of a memory lapse. Actually, though, only about five to seven per cent of people more than 65 get Alzheimer’s or another degenerative brain disease. In many other cases, dementia is reversible because its underlying cause — nutritional imbalance, for instance — is correctable.

Another such cause is the improper use of drugs. People more than 65 take an average of 14 prescription medications a year. Overdosing and bad reactions can occur easily, and can cause

symptoms of dementia.

Experts say that prescription drug use is the most common cause of mental difficulty among senior citizens, and that it’s almost always reversible.

Normal, age-related loss generally comes in short-term memory — the ability to process new information quickly for immediate use. (Short-term memory, for instance, allows you to retain a phone number given by an operator. Usually, you’ll forget the number once you’ve dialed the call, since you don’t need it any more). As the body ages, neurons in the brain die, and the brain makes smaller amounts of transmitters — the chemicals that send messages from one neuron to another. The over-all effect of that loss is that short-term memory

operates less efficiently. The good news is that long-term memory seems unaffected by age. You may not be able to recall information as quickly as you did once, but the data are there.

As you age, you store an awful lot of information — much more than you did as a teenager. So you have to sort through a lot when you want to remember one specific fragment. If you’re patient, the information will eventually surface. You can use many techniques to keep your memory up to speed. Some people find rhymes, like “i before e except after c” as a spelling rule, useful. Repetition also can help. When you meet someone new, use his or her name immediately in conversation a few times.

Writing things down may seem, obvious, but it

works. Psychologists say the very act of making lists can help to etch information in long-term memory.

Lead a stimulating life. Dr Marian Diamond, conducting research at the University of California, allowed some rats to use toys, have contact with humans, and enjoy each other’s company. They seemed much smarter than another group of rats, regardless of age. The experiment suggests that one exercises the brain and improves memory by keeping mentally alert — attending classes, talking with friends, working puzzles and games, and processing a steady flow of information.

Even physical exercise can help. Researchers at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Salt Lake City found that people's memories improved after a four-month walking programme, probably due to increased oxygen to the brain.