Understanding Memory Loss in Older Adults: Causes & Risk Factors

It was once believed the loss of brain cells that occurs with aging was the causative factor in memory loss. Scientific research has debunked that theory, but there are still areas of concern associated with memory loss in old age.

Vascular Dementia

• Age-related changes in blood vessels, causing reduced blood flow to the brain, can cause this form of dementia that includes memory loss as one of its symptoms.

Alzheimer's Disease

• Though medications exist to relieve some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's, there is still no cure for this disease that claims the memory and quality of life of all those afflicted by it.

Medications

• The side effects of prescribed and over-the-counter medications can lead to memory loss as a complication of their use.

Depression

• Depression afflicts many people as they age. Physiological changes occurring in the brain of those suffering from depression can affect the area that controls concentration and memory.

Environmental Toxins

• Environmental toxins can have serious health consequences for people continually exposed to them, becoming more evident as they age. Two of the possible effects of long-term exposure to toxins are difficulty in concentration and memory loss.