Amnesia is a term used for a condition when someone experiences memory loss. This disease causes sufferers to experience problems in remembering certain information, experiences, or events. This condition also makes it difficult for sufferers to form new memories.
This condition can affect anyone. This disorder can occur suddenly or develop slowly. In some cases, this condition can also appear as a symptom of certain diseases. Some diseases that are characterized by symptoms of amnesia may be serious and require immediate medical attention.
Symptom
Symptoms of amnesia are divided into two types, namely:
- Anterograde amnesia . In this condition, sufferers have difficulty making memories of themselves. This disorder can be temporary, but can also be permanent.
- Retrograde amnesia. In this condition, sufferers cannot remember information or events in the past. This disorder generally affects newly formed memories. In old memories, such as memories of childhood, the disorder arises more slowly.
Amnesiacs also often experience symptoms of disorientation or confusion and also confabulation or false memories. Confabulation is a form of memory that comes from a fabrication or event that actually happened but is placed at the wrong time.
Reason
The main cause of amnesia is damage to the part of the brain that functions to form the limbic system. The limbic system plays a role in regulating a person’s emotions and memories. This part of the brain can be damaged if it experiences a very hard impact. When the head is hit hard, there is a possibility that the brain wall will be injured in the form of a crack. The head that is hit increases a person’s risk of developing amnesia.
A person will experience temporary amnesia with varying durations, if the blood vessels around the brain are abnormal, for example, the cerebellum is injured and compressed due to pressure when a hard impact occurs. Meanwhile, if the injury from the impact only injures the brain wall, the amnesia that occurs is easily cured. However, amnesia sufferers need a long time to recover, especially if the injury is quite severe and affects the cerebrum, cerebellum, and midbrain.
Risk Factors
- Head injury, for example due to an accident.
- Stroke.
- Convulsions.
- Encephalitis or inflammation of the brain.
- Brain tumor.
- Alzheimer’s disease.
- Long-term alcohol dependence.
- Consumption of drugs, such as tranquilizers.
- Decreased oxygen supply to the brain (anoxia).
- Psychological trauma, for example due to sexual harassment.
Diagnosis
A doctor will diagnose amnesia in several ways, including:
- Conduct interviews with the sufferer’s family or relatives to find out the history of disease symptoms.
- Conducting physical examinations and other supporting tests including MRI, CT scan, blood tests, and EEG (electroencephalogram).
- Conduct cognitive tests to measure memory.
Complications
Amnesia sufferers can also experience dissociative disorder. In this condition, sufferers will lose existing memories and have difficulty recognizing themselves. Dissociative disorder is caused by severe stress and appears due to traumatic events or is a congenital disease from a close person.
Treatment
Amnesia treatment is carried out in the following ways:
- Occupational therapy. This type of therapy teaches patients to introduce new information to existing memories.
- Cognitive theory. This therapy aims to strengthen the patient’s memory with the help of technology, such as a telephone, tablet, electronic agenda, or tablet.
- Giving vitamins and supplements to prevent further brain damage.
- Lifestyle changes. One of them is by avoiding alcoholic beverages.
Prevention
Amnesia can be prevented by avoiding risk factors and causes of amnesia. This is because the main cause is a hard blow to the head that can cause injury. It is recommended to use head protection when exercising or doing daily activities such as riding a motorbike. This aims to avoid the risk of hitting the head hard if an accident occurs. In addition, because amnesia can be caused by other factors, prevention can also be done by avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, avoiding the use of sedatives, and maintaining mental health because stress and trauma can also cause amnesia.
When to See a Doctor?
If you experience these signs and symptoms, immediately talk to a doctor to find out the cause and get the right treatment.