Good Example Of Essay On Anterograde Amnesia

Amnesia can be defined as loss of memory of an individual. In amnesia, a patient’s memory becomes weak, and he forgets facts; information and experiences. In movies, a person suffering from amnesia is shown to have no sense of personal identity whereas in reality; this is not true. A person having amnesia does not forget his self-identity; instead they are usually lucid about their identity but face trouble in making new memories or learn new information. Amnesia can be broadly categorized into six types according to the nature of disease progression, but our main focus is on Anterograde amnesia.
Anterograde amnesia is a situation when a person is no longer capable to form new long-term episodic memories. To be clearer, after having amnesia; the person is not successful in recollecting events for more than a few minutes. The events that occur in daily life are not transferred to long-term memory, for example; an Anterograde amnesia patient cannot recall the name of the movie he watched the day before. An interesting fact about Anterograde amnesia is a patient may forget his recent life events but can recall remote or deeply ingrained memories. He might be successful in recalling childhood incidents and the history of the country but cannot tell what he had for lunch or the name of the current president. A person suffering from such type of amnesia may forget events, but his intelligence, personality, and the judgment remains intact. He can understand that he suffers from a memory disorder. He also remains capable enough to learn skills such as cycling or piano playing but, unfortunately, fail to retain job because of the poor day- to- day functional memory.
There are certain factors which cause Anterograde amnesia, and every individual should be familiar with the reasons that result in such a harmful disease. Too much consumption of alcohol causes damage in the memory centre thus resulting in amnesia. People usually eat less in order to lose weight, but this result in malnutrition depriving the brain cells from vital nutrients and causing Anterograde amnesia.
Certain types of infections are very dangerous for the brain and memory of people and can result in Anterograde amnesia. Such infections are Encephalitis and herpes which induces the brain tissues damage and result in harmful disease.
Brain damage resulting from any accident or blow in the head can result in brain surgery which usually end in Anterograde amnesia (Ephron, 2000). Memory loss can also be a result of stroke which results in injury of brain cells in regions connected with memory loss.
There are certain symptoms or signs to warn an individual that he is not well and is suffering from Anterograde amnesia. If a person is disoriented or confused with his normal routine life; he should immediately consult a doctor. Moreover, one very common sign of Anterograde amnesia is person finds difficulty in learning new things or even in recalling old events. In some cases, a person can have severe headaches, nausea or dizziness but this is in rare situations, and every patient may not undergo such problems.
Once Anterograde amnesia is identified in any person, it is very necessary to undergo a treatment. Fortunately, treatment for the disease is available, and they vary according to the different reasons that caused the disorder. Numerous cognitive rehabilitation methods are there to teach patients ways to cope with their impairment. If alcohol is the reason behind Anterograde amnesia; emotional support, proper diet and abstinence from alcohol can prove to be the best remedy. Moreover, if the illness is caused by brain injury; proper rest and memory exercise can act fruitfully. Whatever the reason be behind the illness; therapy act as a best solution in all cases as it helps the person come out of emotional trauma. The Brain is a miraculous organ that can remap itself and help the patient regain memories.
Anterograde amnesia is a serious illness, and the main relation of this illness is with the memory of the patient (Atkinson.2003). The short term memory of the patient is spared by the illness, and the individual can carry a normal conversation but as soon as he is distracted, the memory of the conversation fades. Research has proven that memory for facts and events is devastated by Anterograde amnesia, but it leaves room for learning new skills or habits. To further explain the point, for example if a person takes class to learn any new skill; the next day amnesic person will deny having memory of any such event but if he executes the skill; he will do it correctly.
Anterograde amnesia hurts three distinct brain areas namely the hippocampus, basal forebrain, and diencephalon. Hippocampus is basically a gateway through which new information and fact pass before being permanently stored in the memory. When this brain area is hurt; no new information can enter the memory while the old memories remain safe.
Basal forebrain is a special chemical which helps the cell of the brain to store new information during learning (Ephron, 2000). Thus, when the basal forebrain is damaged; a patient is not capable enough to store new information in the memory. Lastly, the diencephalon is a set of structures deep in the brain including the medical thalamic nuclei and when this part of the brain is damaged; a patient can face memory deficit or Anterograde amnesia.
Anterograde amnesia is a serious disorder that changes the personality of an individual completely. Imagine a person who is not capable enough to make new memories. The Life of such people takes various turns, and it becomes difficult for them to maintain their personality and emotions. People with Anterograde amnesia cannot continue with their jobs due to alteration of memory. This gives a major setback to the self-confidence of the individual, and he feels shy in communicating with people. Amnesic patients usually remain quiet, and most of them suffer from depression. They have to learn to cope with their illness and face the daily challenges of life. Moreover, if Anterograde amnesia is a result of a serious accident and is permanent; the treatment will become a lengthy and tiring process. In such times, if patient does not receive proper care and attention of the loved ones, the whole personality of the patient can be shattered and he may lose all hopes to return towards normal life and will not be willing to learn to cope with the ailment.
Anterograde amnesia is majorly a result of brain damage and every person on their end should take steps to avoid chances of brain injuries. A person should avoid excess usage of alcohol and while driving, the seat belt should be used. Moreover, if there is any infection in the body, proper treatment should be done so that it does not spread to the brain. Anterograde amnesia is a serious illness that can destroy the life of the individual and can end in devastating results.

References

Ephron, G. (2000). Amnesia. New York: St. Martin's Minotaur.
Atkinson, P., & Housley, W. (2003). Interactionism: An essay in sociological amnesia. London: SAGE Publications.