Diagnosing And Treating Memory Problems

Medications:
When the subject of direct treatments for memory disturbance comes up, everyone naturally thinks of medication. Sometimes a mild stimulant may be helpful. At this point, the main drugs approved by the FDA specifically for memory disorders are for the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease. These drugs may increase the brain's level of neurotransmitters thought to be important for memory formation. Even though no accepted guidelines exist for using these medications to treat memory problems in people with epilepsy, some specialized centers are beginning to use them. People with epilepsy and their doctors should consider the indirect treatment approaches first, but direct management of memory problems is not out of the question. Clearly, though, the jury is still out with regard to the ultimate future benefit of this kind of treatment.

Behavioral Management:
Another approach to treating memory problems is to consider direct behavioral management of the problem. There are typically two ways to go with behavioral management of a memory disorder. The first is to approach the problem from an environmental perspective, trying to enhance memory functioning by using organization and structure. This might involve always placing frequently misplaced items such as keys and glasses in specific places, such as a hook or shelf near the door. The other approach is to use "prosthetic" devices such as notebooks, electronic organizers, and alarms as aids for retaining information and as sources of cues to do something at a specific time. These approaches to the treatment of memory disturbance may seem simple and obvious, but they can be invaluable in helping you to function better.

Memory Rehabilitation:
Many people ask about the nature and benefits of "memory rehabilitation." In the most general terms, proper rehabilitation of memory involves all of the steps we've already listed. After going through all appropriate steps and addressing all of the factors affecting your memory, intervening directly may help in some circumstances. Often this involves learning ways to help you encode and remember information. Unfortunately, there is no magic, universal form of memory treatment that will work for everyone. The best method is likely to differ for each individual. The people who work in this field, who are called cognitive remediation specialists, can be found among neuropsychologists, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists. Each of these fields uses a slightly different approach.

• A lot of the techniques that are taught today have been around for centuries. A few of them appear in the works of the Greek philosophers!
• Some techniques involve the use of association: you are asked to find some feature of the person or name that you can relate to something else.
• Other methods advocate the use of bizarre imagery to get something to stick in your head. For example, to remember that the laundromat is on Maple Lane, you might think of a maple tree sticking out of a washing machine.
• Many people compare memory to a muscle and promote the use of repetitive exercises (often involving a computer) to strengthen it. Unfortunately, things do not work that way. You may become skilled at performing a specific drill in the doctor's office, but it is very difficult to apply the same skill in your daily life.
• Currently, there is no large body of scientific evidence to indicate that any single form of direct memory treatment is more effective than another, but many patients do report receiving some benefit from the therapy.
• You are likely to achieve the best results by finding a talented and caring therapist who is able to look at the type of memory problems you are experiencing and develop a well-considered intervention program based on your individual needs.