Age Related Memory Loss:Why We Forget

Brain Science:

A new study out of the University of Maryland School of Medicine attempts to find out why as we get older we forget people's faces and names after being introduced. I know for me it is embarrassing and frankly I try to cover it up with some generic approach to greetings. A article published in December of 2022 suggests some reasons and could provide some insights on what to do about it. Researchers have identified a specific target in the brain that relates to age related memory loss. You may recall that short term memories are carried into the hippocampus and then distributed to the cortex or outer layer of the brain for longer term storage. Researchers have now found in the specific spot in the brain where social interaction memories occur. It is a specific place in the hippocampus. This specific target is now the focus of researchers looking into age related memory loss. Researchers have learned from their work that the kinds of memories that integrate multiple pieces of information within a personal interaction, so-called social associative memories, require an enzyme, known as PDE11A. (This is the part of the brain responsible for memory involving life experiences). Last year, scientists published research on PDE11A demonstrating that mice with genetically similar versions of the PDE11 enzyme were more likely to interact than those mice with a different type of PDE11A. That triggered speculation that PDE11A had a controlling effect on memory. Therefore, In this new study, the study leader Dr. Michy Kelly and her team sought to determine PDE11A’s role in social associative memory in the aging brain and whether manipulating this enzyme could be used to prevent this memory loss. Dr. Kelly found that levels of PDE11A increased with age of older people. The bottom line was that too much PDE11A in the hippocampus results in the misfiring in the hippocampus region linked with associative memory. They also discovered that the excess enzyme was chemically changed from that in other places in the hippocampus. They then discovered that by preventing this chemical change in PDE11A it prevented excess accumulation of the PDE11A enzime.So the conclusion at the present time is that if we can control the altered chemical state of the PDE 11A enzyme we can improve age related memory loss. This opens up one potential pathway to drug development to prevent and reduce memory loss. Drug researchers are working in this area now. The hope is that a drug will be found that positively or negatively impacts the growth of the PDE11A enzyme and subsequently improves age related memory loss.

Brain Facts:

• When memory loss prevents us from performing daily tasks and our accustomed roles in life, it becomes a health concern.

• While verbal intelligence remains unchanged, as we age we have trouble remembering names and finding words in conversations. With aging, the speed of information processing gradually slows.

• A slowing of the speed of cognitive processing and reaction time occur with aging.

• Almost 40% of us will experience some form of memory loss after we turn 65 years old. But even if we experience memory loss, chances are still unlikely that we have dementia. For the most part, our memory loss is mild enough that we can still live our day-to-day lives without interruption.

• Forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. As people get older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain. As a result, some people may notice that it takes longer to learn new things, they don't remember information as well as they did, or they lose things like their glasses.

So What:

It appears that a large portion of people over 65 have short term memory loss especially centering around social interaction. It is not losing intellectual ability but is associated with the speed of interaction. So it may not be we are losing it, it maybe be we are slowing it. Recently I was in for my annual physical and low and behold my Doctor was required to give me a very simple cognitive memory test. First of all I found it to be intrusive since I did not request it. Second, I had no idea what it was targeting. (For what it is worth the nurse didn't either, nor did she know what to do with it.) Clearly though it was measuring age related short term memory loss.This blog gives us a clue to what is going on with our aging brain and the purpose of the test.. Unlike the test though there is a follow up. That follow up is an indication that relief may be coming and in what form.

The above brings up an interesting question. So What is it? Hearing or cognition? When we grow older we also experience hearing loss. It gradually gets worse as we age. We also experience slowed brain reaction to interpersonal communication. Both cause communication issues for seniors. Is it a hearing loss or is it a cognitive speed loss that causes seniors to not understand what is said. Who knows, maybe they are connected. It is probably both. Younger people need to have patience, patience, patience in communicating with older people.