Being forgetful at a young age is a sign of dementia? Change these bad habits now…

Expert of this article: Zhao Wei, deputy chief physician of Department of Neurology and Sleep Medicine Center, Tianjin University Teda Hospital

I opened the refrigerator and forgot what to take

I walked into the living room and forgot what I was going to do.

I watched a movie a month ago and I have forgotten the title

Forgetting to take your phone when you go out

Forget to lock the door when getting out of the car

…

Are the above a true reflection of your life?

Don't ask me if I installed a camera next to you

Because I have forgotten what I had for lunch yesterday

Memory is a word that often appears in our lives.

English words that you remember and forget

Mathematical formulas that you forget every time you look at them

I want to "carve" every beautiful scenery into my mind

There are always doubts

You are so young, how come you can't remember things?

Why does memory decline?

Does poor memory increase the risk of dementia?

Is there any way to improve it?

I hope you read this article

Able to remember the answer

Is good or bad memory innate?

Although humans have understood the anatomical structures related to memory, the biological basis of memory remains a mystery. There are currently hundreds of genes known to be related to brain memory, so the quality of memory is related to genetics.

What are the causes of memory loss?

• Age is the biggest risk factor for memory loss

As we age, new neurons stop growing in key brain regions responsible for memory, and activity in those areas slows down.

Dementia occurs when abnormal proteins (plaques and tangles) build up inside neurons.

• Excessive stress, anxiety or depression can cause memory loss

Too much stress can overload your brain and cause you to lose focus.

Excessive short-term stress can cause transient memory loss, while excessive long-term stress can increase the risk of dementia.

Depression can dull the mind, manifesting as decreased interest, concentration, and memory.

• Sleep deprivation

Sleep is involved in the consolidation process of memory, and long-term sleep deprivation can lead to memory loss.

• Common diseases among the elderly

Conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes can impair memory function. In addition, medications, vision and hearing loss can interfere with brain function and thus affect memory ability.

• alcoholism

Long-term drinking can impair memory and even cause alcoholic dementia.

• Vitamin B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 helps maintain the normal function of nerve cells. Vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly can lead to memory loss.

• Brain disorders

Tumors or infections in the brain can cause memory problems or symptoms similar to dementia. Concussions and head trauma can cause short-term memory problems and also increase the risk of dementia.

• Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cause memory loss

Poor memory puts you at risk for dementia?

Dementia refers to a comprehensive decline in a person's cognitive functions, including thinking, memory, learning, reasoning and behavior, which is severe enough to affect normal quality of life and activities.

Memory loss in dementia patients can manifest as forgetting the names of friends and family members, or forgetting events of the day, and asking the same questions over and over again, such as "Where are my keys?"

They often put things in unusual places, such as putting house keys in the bathroom cabinet. Personality also changes, becoming indifferent, strange, suspicious, etc.

Poor memory is one of the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, but poor memory does not mean that it will definitely develop into dementia.

We need to know that as we age, our body functions gradually decline and our cognitive functions also decline.

Images (head CT or MRI) show shrinkage of brain areas such as the hippocampus (brain atrophy), and loss of the myelin sheath that surrounds and protects nerve fibers (demyelination), which slows down communication between neurons and affects the brain's ability to encode, store and read information.

Ordinary people have two misunderstandings: one is that they are too nervous and worried and mistake normal brain aging for dementia; the other is to mistake the manifestations of dementia for normal brain aging.

Normal brain aging is manifested by a decrease in brain reaction speed and difficulty in multitasking, but daily memory and skills are not affected.

It is normal to occasionally forget recent events, lose your keys, glasses, etc., or not remember someone's name.

Mild cognitive impairment is a transitional stage between normal brain aging and dementia, and refers to a decline in cognitive ability that does not affect the ability to complete daily tasks (such as shopping, cooking, and driving).

Mild cognitive impairment may be an early sign of dementia (Alzheimer's disease), but not all people with mild cognitive impairment will develop Alzheimer's disease.

How to improve/exercise memory?

• Learn a new skill, such as learning a musical instrument, calligraphy and painting, playing puzzle games, playing bridge, etc.

• Develop good habits. Use memory tools like calendars and notes to plan ahead and make to-do lists. Keep your wallet, keys, phone, and glasses in the same place every day.

• Participate in more activities that are beneficial to your physical and mental health, such as volunteering in the community or charity organizations.

• Spending time with family and friends and participating in regular social activities can help avoid depression and stress, both of which can lead to memory loss.

• Ensure adequate sleep (7-8 hours per night). If you snore, complete sleep apnea monitoring and seek treatment if necessary.

• Eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet is good for your brain and heart. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat proteins, such as fish and beans.

• Control your weight and avoid obesity.

• Control blood pressure and blood sugar, etc.

• Quitting smoking and drinking can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, lung disease, and other conditions

• Exercise moderately. Exercise improves blood flow, memory and sleep, and reduces the risk of depression and anxiety. It is recommended to do at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. If you really don't have time to exercise, you can squeeze in 10-20 minutes of walking every day.

• Keep a good mood. If you feel depressed or unhappy, seek medical help in time.

There are many reasons for memory loss.

It's normal to forget things occasionally

Poor memory does not necessarily mean dementia

If you are afraid you will forget the point of this article

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