Mild Neurocognitive Disorder

DisclaimerThis page is not here to be used as a self-diagnosis, self-identification, or promotion - it's simply here to be informational. Whether or not one self-diagnoses, self-identifies, and/or seeks a professional diagnosis is up to them.

**Mild Neurocognitive Disorder**, more commonly called **Amnesia** (also called **Amnestic Syndrome**), refers to the loss of memories, such as facts, information and experiences. Individuals with amnesia usually know who they are, but they may have trouble learning new information and forming new memories.

## Signs & Symptoms

The two main features of amnesia are:

* Difficulty learning new information following the onset of amnesia.
* Difficulty remembering past events and previously familiar information.

Depending on the cause of the amnesia, other signs and symptoms may include:

* False memories, either completely invented or made up of genuine memories misplaced in time.
* Confusion and disorientation.

Most individuals with amnesia have problems with short-term memory. Recent memories are most likely to be lost, while more remote or deeply ingrained memories may be spared. Someone may recall experiences from childhood, but not be able to know what month it is or remember what was for breakfast.

## Causes

Amnesia can be caused by damage to areas of the brain that are vital for memory processing. Unlike a temporary episode of memory loss, amnesia can be permanent.

Possible causes of mild neurocognitive disorder include:

* Stroke.
* Brain inflammation.
* Lack of adequate oxygen to the brain.
* Long-term alcohol abuse leading to vitamin B-1 deficiency.
* Tumors in areas of the brain that control memory.
* Degenerative brain diseases.
* Seizures.
* Certain medications that act as sedatives.

Head injuries can lead to confusion and problems remembering new information. Mild head injuries typically do not cause lasing amnesia, but more severe head injuries may cause permanent amnesia.

Dissociative Amnesia stems from emotional shock or trauma. In this form of amnesia, an individual may lose personal memories and autobiographical information, but usually only briefly.

## Treatment

There's no specific treatment for amnesia, but techniques for enhancing memory and psychological support can help individuals with amnesia and their families cope.

## Types of Amnesia

There are many different names for amnesia and amnesia syndromes. Here are a few common terms:

### Retrograde Amnesia

Retrograde Amnesia describes amnesia where one can't recall memories that were formed before the event that caused the amnesia. It usually affects stored past memories, not memories from years ago.

### Anterograde Amnesia

Anterograde Amnesia describes amnesia where one can't form new memories after the event that caused the amnesia. Anterograde is far more common than retrograde.

### Post-Traumatic Amnesia

Post-Traumatic Amnesia occurs immediately after a significant head injury. It may involve retrograde amnesia, anterograde amnesia, or both.

### Transient Global Amnesia

Transient Global Amnesia is a temporary syndrome where one experiences both retrograde and anterograde amnesia. Memory loss is sudden and only lasts up to 24 hours.

### Infantile Amnesia

Infantile Amnesia is the term used to describe the fact that individuals can't recall memories from early childhood. Few individuals have memories from before the ages of three to five because the brain areas that support memory are still developing.

### Dissociative Amnesia/Psychogenic Amnesia

Dissociative Amnesia is a mental health disorder where one experiences amnesia after significant trauma. One blocks out both personal information and the traumatic incident from their memory.

## Amnesia in Media

Amnesia is a popular theme for many movies and TV shows. Character often appear with no identity and no memories of the past. They are essentially staring over, but they are fully equipped, mentally, to do so. However, this cinematic portrayal has very little in common with the reality of amnesia.

In the movies, those with amnesia have few problems with everyday activities. In reality, most individuals have great difficulty learning and retaining new information. As a result, they struggle with everyday activities.

In the movies, individuals often go through a complete personality change. Values and behaviors are transformed. Bad characters become good. In reality, amnesia affects personality or identity only rarely, when the specific areas of the brain that control these functions are impaired.

In the movies, individuals with amnesia due to trauma have stored memories of the trauma, intact and accurate, deep in their subconscious. With the right trigger, they can replay the memories of trauma like a video camera. In reality, the way brain recalls memories is dynamic. When individuals remember an event, they reconstruct it, pulling bits from different places of the brain.

In the movies, amnesia, if caused by a blow to the head, can often be reversed by another blow. Or, regardless of the cause, can be cured by looking at a familiar object or by being hypnotized. In reality, most of these cures are dubious. A second blow to the head is more likely to cause further damage. Hypnosis is useful only when the cause of amnesia is a disturbing event. Then, when done gently and carefully, it is often successful.

## References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amnesia/symptoms-causes/syc-20353360

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21455-amnesia

https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-gb/home/brain,-spinal-cord,-and-nerve-disorders/brain-dysfunction/amnesia

https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Practice/DSM/APA\_DSM-5-Mild-Neurocognitive-Disorder.pdf