Anterograde Amnesia: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Anterograde amnesia is a memory impairment that is caused by some particular event from which the person loses the ability to store new memories from that moment on. In short, the person retains the memories after the event, but with great difficulty; however, the memories prior to the situation that causes subsequent memory loss remain intact.

When determining the characteristics of this condition, it is important to locate its possible origins. Therefore, below, we will list the most important causes of anterograde amnesia:

• Brain injuries: When damage occurs to certain areas of the brain linked to the storage of information from the environment, this capacity can be affected. In general terms, traumatic brain injuries are triggers for these conditions. Likewise, strokes that cause a lack of blood supply.
• Excess alcohol : Excessive intake of alcoholic beverages can produce pertinent alterations such as anterograde amnesia. However, it must be taken into account that this type of amnesia arises from a particular situation in which certain requirements must be met. This means that drinking alcohol without major excesses does not harm memory. If you want to know more, in this article you will find information on the effects of alcohol on the brain and nervous system.

Anterograde amnesia presents some particularities that allow it to be detected. Knowing these details can favor strategies to address the problem in time. The most relevant symptoms of anterograde amnesia are the following:

• Short-term memory loss.
• Lack of trust.
• Temporal and spatial disorientation.
• Difficulty learning new information.
• Confusion.
• Anxiety.

Even so, the presence of any of these symptoms does not necessarily imply that we are dealing with anterograde amnesia. It is essential that the diagnosis be carried out by a mental health professional who evaluates the characteristics of each patient.

From the symptoms derived from anterograde amnesia, it is possible to infer that they make it difficult to carry out daily life. Next, you will see what consequences anterograde amnesia has based on two examples:

• Difficulties in interpersonal relationships : A person who has suffered a severe brain injury has problems establishing new social ties, since he or she will not remember or will have difficulties discussing situations that occurred with other people in his memory. In this sense, it must be taken into account that social relationships are built over time and anterograde amnesia can make it difficult to consolidate these ties.
• Loss of coordinates : A person with anterograde amnesia has many difficulties being completely autonomous, given that they have a tendency to become disoriented anywhere. This occurs because it is difficult for her to stay in places without the presence of another known person to accompany her.

Despite the setbacks that anterograde amnesia entails, there are specific approaches that allow an improvement in the quality of life of people who suffer from this condition. Next, we will talk about how anterograde amnesia is cured:

• Psychological therapy : Although it is true that anterograde amnesia has a neurological component, it is important to pay attention to the consequences it can have on the emotional, behavioral and cognitive level of the person. For this reason, psychological therapy provides strategies that allow us to cope with situations linked to lack of memory in a more pleasant way.
• occupational therapy : This approach consists of helping people who have cognitive problems in resolving situations through different resources that can be incorporated into daily life. This approach favors greater independence and autonomy to face situations that involve relating to others.

In conclusion, if you detect any of the signs belonging to anterograde amnesia, it is important that you go to health professionals specialized in memory psychopathologies. Also, in this article, we tell you how to improve short-term memory.

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Anterograde amnesia: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment we recommend that you enter our Clinical Psychology category.