If you’re dealing with memory loss, you’re not alone. Most people over 60 deal with some form of memory loss. Some even develop dementia. This condition doesn’t just affect individuals. It ripples out to loved ones and communities.
Because of this ripple effect, treating memory loss would be life changing for a whole lot of people.
To find a treatment for memory loss, first we need to dig into the science of the brain. The best approach is to begin with what we already know about the brain and work outward from there.
Behavioral symptoms of memory loss
Memory loss affects everyone over the age of 60 in some form
If you struggle with memory impairment, you may suffer from mild issues or more severe symptoms.
Symptoms of mild memory loss include small memory lapses. You may notice yourself losing your train of thought, becoming easily overwhelmed, and forgetting words.
Severe memory loss can result in losing your ability to communicate. People with severe long-term memory loss often need assistance with daily care.
One common symptom of memory loss is the loss of smell. Your sense of smell, also known as olfaction, is strongly connected to memory. People almost always lose their sense of smell before they start showing memory problems.
This connection between smell and memory is important. Losing the ability to smell things serves as an early warning sign of memory loss. It also shows the link between the olfactory system and memory loss. This connection may be part of an effective treatment.
Brain changes during memory loss
Let’s look at what happens in the brain during memory loss.
Think about the brain as if it’s a city. It only works well if electricity and communication move through it easily. Imagine an electrical grid stretched across the brain. Neurons are the connectors.
In a healthy brain, neurons are able to send and receive information.
In a compromised brain, neurons start to die. This cuts off effective communication across the brain. As neurons die, the brain shrinks. As the brain shrinks, people display memory issues.
Cognitive Reserve is the key to treating memory loss
Some people have brain damage associated with memory loss, but they don’t show symptoms of memory loss.
This gap between what’s happening in the brain and the memory problems people experience is known as Cognitive Reserve.
Cognitive Reserve is how a healthy brain responds to the decline of neurons. A healthy brain can adjust for the death of neurons by building new pathways.
Let’s return to the electrical grid metaphor. A neuron dying is like having a branch fall on a powerline. A brain with Cognitive Reserve may be able to build a new line around the branch. A brain without Cognitive Reserve will lose that line of communication.
To gain Cognitive Reserve, you need life-long curiosity. You can build your Cognitive Reserve over a lifetime by learning languages or taking up musical instruments. The trouble is: not everyone has the time or ability to do those things.
The big question is: can you achieve Cognitive Reserve without learning multiple languages?
What we need is a shortcut. The next big breakthrough in memory loss science will be finding a shortcut to develop Cognitive Reserve.
Introducing the Memory Air Device: Amidst these challenges, a groundbreaking solution has emerged – the Memory Air device. This innovative device taps into the remarkable connection between smell and memory. By releasing carefully formulated scents during sleep, it triggers specific neural pathways associated with memory enhancement. Learn more at www.memoryair.com