I know. You have heard that one before. I couldn't resist.
Anyway, I was reading that short term memory loss is a red flag that might be signaling the onset of dementia. "Wow!" My short term memory is suffering. I remember practically every student I taught at my first junior high in 1974, good memories; but, I only remember a few from the last students I taught in 2000, also good memories. Am I doomed to go "cuckoo" as my alzheimers-laden father first described his condition?
Quick, onto google. Check for the definition of "short-term memory" as it pertains to dementia. I can relax. "Short-term" is referring to things done or said in the previous few minutes. "Long-term" is any other memory. I think that's is why in the mini mental test they give you a list of 4 things and a few minutes later, ask you to recall those 4 things.
I can do that OK.
Then what accounts for the fact I can remember students from 40-odd years ago but have forgotten much from 15 years ago? Both schools were equally good, equally enjoyable. I think I know the answer. My wife and I had no children of our own in 1974 so we adopted my students for children. We even took two boys and two girls camping in the north, during the summer break, "In Search of the Big One" (fish). I can remember practically everything from that trip, it (they) made such a positive impression on me. Then my first child was born and there was no room for students during the summer, at least not on long trips.
So, there you are, if you can't remember something minutes after an event, you may have a problem and should see a doctor. However, chances are you won't remember reading this and you will continue to gently slip into that quiet darkness that my father described as having "gone to hell".
Fortunately, I am pretty sure I won't be joining you.
About Dementia Alzheimer's Disease (Memory)
Memory is the brain's unique ability to store and retrieve information. Generally, memory is thought of in two different forms, short term store and long term store. The brain structures that play an important role with memory are the hippocampus , the frontal lobes and the diencephalon . Long term store is the memory of past events and experiences. It is broken down into three components, procedural, semantic and episodic memory . Procedural memory is a person's ability to remember how to do certain skills such as riding a bicycle or playing a piano. A person is usually unable to describe procedural memory in words. On the other hand, semantic and episodic memories both may be expressed verbally. This is why they are often together known as declarative memory. However, the type of knowledge they refer to is different. Semantic memory is memory about the world around us. It includes things such as the knowledge that the sky is blue or the name of your mother. Episodic memory is memory for personal events such as a birthday or your wedding. Short term store is memory related to events that are presently occurring. For example, think about when you read a sentence. In order to understand what you have read, you will need to remember the first part of the sentence until you have finished. Your brain is constantly using its short term store to remember experiences and information. Often the information will move from your short term store to your long term store. Then when the information is needed again, it can be retrieved from your long term store. For example, when you meet someone for the first time, memories of their name and what they look like are moved from your short term store to your long term store. This way when you meet them again, the information about them can be pulled from the long term store back to your short term store.
Quote is from Demenia Guide
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