Amnesia and Memory Retention

Paper Summary:

The paper looks at the types of amnesia and their causes, including amnesia which targets short-term memory patterns (anterograde), long-term memory patterns (retrograde) and a transient global mode of amnesia. The paper then discusses the treatments available, which involve cognitive rehabilitation and medications, but shows how amnesia is a medical disorder which we have a limited scientific ability to address.

From the Paper:

"In many ways, the inhospitable nature of memory to empirical research has been a considerable obstruction to our understanding of the various afflictions to proper access of information as stored in the brain. However, by the same token, the nature and symptoms of many such afflictions as those which appear to target mental fidelity are helping to illuminate some of the as yet unresolved secrets of neurological functionality. In the necessary pursuit of effective medical treatment for individuals afflicted by memory loss of any nature, we have begun to breach new frontiers in the scientific comprehension of the peculiarities and implications of information retention and recall. Perhaps the most popularly recognized condition concerning memory retention and loss, and one that has been fairly useful as a source for theretofore unconsidered revelations about the inner-workings of memory storage, is amnesia."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Barrett, Julia. (2002). Amnesia. Health, A to Z. Online at http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/amnesia.jsp
• Gleaves, D.H., Smith, S.M.,Butler, L.D., & Spiegel,D.(2004). False and reovered memories in the laboratory and clinical: A review of experimental evidence. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11,3-28.
• Kilstrom, J.F.(2004). An unbalanced balancing act: Blocked, recovered and false memories in the laboratory and clinic. Chinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11, 34-41.
• LEF. (2003). Amnesia: Online Reference. Life Extension. Online at <http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-007.shtml>
• Lindsay, D.S.,& Read, J.R.(2001). The recovered memories controversy: Where do we go from here? In G.M Davies, & T. Dalgleish(Eds.), Recovered memories: Seeking the middle ground(pp.71-93). New York: Wiley.

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