Memory Problem: All in Your Mind?

 

[Posted by S. Brent Ridge, M.D.]

 

As you may have noticed, I'm doing a mini-series of entries on how to keep your memory in top shape.
In this entry, I wanted to talk about how the mind can play tricks on your memory.

 

For years, we have known that stress is a risk factor for a heart attack. A recent study has shown that constantly elevated stress levels can also be damaging to the brain due to increased levels of cortisol in the blood caused by the stress.

 

It has also been documented in several well-designed studies that elevated levels of cortisone negatively influence memory performance. This finding held true even when they studied stress in real-life situations. Women with very stressful jobs showed the greatest decline in intellectual functions over time. So, the first thing to do the next time you lose your keys or walk into a room and forget why you're there is to not stress about it.

 

A depressed mood can also lead to memory problems.

 

Most people don't realize that depression can cause something called "pseudodementia." I have had more than a few patients come into my office complaining of memory impairment. After successfully managing an underlying problem of depression, these memory complaints disappeared.

 

MRI studies performed on people suffering from depression have shown that the part of the brain responsible for short-term memory, the hippocampus, actually shrinks in patients whose depression goes untreated.

 

In my experience, I've learned that many patients complaining of decreased memory use that as an opportunity (and an invitation) for me to ask more questions about their emotional health. However, please be aware that not all physicians will pick up on these subtle cues.

 

Therefore, if you are having problems dealing with stress or depression, just come right out and say it. You may get better and faster treatment.