Amnesia is the medical term for memory loss. There are two forms of this condition. The inability to store and remember new information is called anterograde amnesia and the difficulty to retrieve old information is called retrograde amnesia. Pathological memory loss can also occur due to any trauma (Post-traumatic amnesia), stress (Dissociative amnesia), brain disease, brain infection, brain tumour, etc. Excessive or long-term use of alcohol can also cause amnesia. The management of the condition very much depends upon the patient’s health status and usually requires multiple healing approaches.
Treatment of Amnesia
Any specific treatment is not available for the different types of amnesia. Depending upon the patient’s health and medical background certain approaches and medicines are used to improve brain function and prevent the progression of amnesia.
Amnesia treatment approaches include:
- Occupational therapy – These include cognitive training. This is done by an occupational therapist who helps the patient to rehearse through repetitive stimuli. This helps the patient enhance their memory retention. Common behavioural strategies include breathing exercises and Tai Chi movements.
- Behavioural therapy – These include strategies that help children memorise things. This is done by letting them listen to rhymes, have short exposure to photos, play memory games, etc.
- Medications – There is no approved medicine for amnesia. But medicines are effective in case of amnesia associated with diseases like -
- Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
- Brain infection
- Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington chorea, etc. Such patients can benefit from the medicine cholinesterase.
- Psychiatric diseases (e.g., depression). People with these conditions can benefit from anti-depression medicines.
- Psychological diseases due to any mental trauma
- Technological aid – In this technologically advanced digital era, many handy smartphone applications are available to help patients keep track of their daily activities. Smartphones and tablets can help patients organise their daily tasks with time alarm systems, handwritten notes, etc.
- Healthy lifestyle – A physically active lifestyle helps to enhance brain function and can prevent further memory loss.