Amnesia - 2 Essay

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Amnesia

Amnesia is the loss of memory, which is the inability of the brain capacity to learn new information or to recall information learned.”Most people with amnesia are usually lucid and have sense of self. However, they may experience severe difficulties in learning new information”(Christian Nordqvist). The many types of amnesia all have many different causes. There are many symptoms to amnesia like confusion or disorientation, problems with short term memory. Which can be caused by stroke, seizure disorders, and ECT (electroconvulsive therapy). ”In the majority of cases amnesia resolves itself without treatment”(Christian Nordqvist). But in others it should be treated if possible for example: working with therapist, and one of the biggest is (PDA) personal digital assistant.

“There are many types of amnesia, the most common ones : Anterograde amnesia - the patient cannot remember new information. Transient global amnesia - is a temporary loss of all memory. Traumatic amnesia - memory loss caused by a hard blow to the head, some may experience a brief loss of consciousness or even go into coma,how long it will last usually it depends on how severe the injury is.”(Christian Nordqvist) In this type of amnesia Wernike - Korsakoff’s psychosis-type of memory loss due to excessive extend of alcohol abuse, which tends to get worse over time which could lead to the loss of feeling in the toes and fingers. Like every other thing it has its causes that lead to this types of amnesia.

“Any disease or injury that affects the brain can interfere with the intricacies of memory. Damage to the brain structures that form the limbic system, the hippocampus and thalamus, can lead to amnesia - the limbic system controls our emotions and memories.”(Christian)”The causes of amnesia may be organic or functional. Organic causes may include brain injury or the use of specific drugs. Functional causes are psychological factors, such as defense mechanisms.”

(Christian Nordqvist) “Causes of organic amnesia by brain injury and damage are: stroke, some medications - such as sleeping drugs (ambien), seizure disorders, and head injury - such as those that occur in car accidents, can lead to memory problems,but not anything to severe or long lasting. The functional causes are: being the victim of a violent crime, sexual abuse, child abuse, and even being involved in combat and natural disasters.” (Christian Nordqvist)

Before you get diagnosed there are more things that go