Psychologically, memory is a term used to describe the systematic process through which information undergoes encoding, storage and retrieving when need be. In depth, encoding is the first stage of the process that allows for information sourced from the outside world to trigger reactions in the individual's senses, in the form of physical and chemical stimuli. Subsequently, the second stage allows for the storage of the now-encoded information. This storage hence allows for the maintenance of the relevant information for future purposes. Thirdly, the third stage involves retrieval of the stored information. This being a voluntary stage, location of the information initiates the retrieval process, and the information returns into the individual's consciousness. With this regard, the resultant loss of memory is described as forgetfulness as a general term or amnesia in a medical perspective.
Sensory memory, short-term memory and long-term memory are the three existent types of memory. At the outset, sensory memory mainly grasps information, especially visual information, for a few seconds after perception. This memory is evidently observed through an individual's memorization and resulting remembrance of an item even after a second or less of observation.
However, research illustrates that this type of memory allows for quick captures of observed images but following to degradation, it is limited to full reports. In that, the observed items for instance cannot all be reported accurately. The reduced memory capacity results to faster memory decay thus limiting the attempt to prolong its activity even through unremitting rehearsal. Relevantly, iconic memory, echoic memory and haptic memory shortly stores visual information, auditory information and feelings of touch or pain respectively.
[...] Head injuries also contribute to memory losses as they result to severe brain damages. However, a severe hit to head to the extent that the damage penetrates the skull could lead to either short-term memory loss or long-term memory loss. The intensity of the hit acts as the key determinant of brain damage and subsequently memory loss. Moreover, such events that lead to head injuries similarly trigger strokes in extreme severity. Strokes mainly involve incidences that cause seizure of blood supply to the brain perhaps following to damaged vessels leading to the brain. [...]
[...] Secondly, the short-term memory allows for recall of information encoded for a few minutes without the need for rehearsal. According to Leonard (2002), although short-term memory showed limited, ability to remembrance of larger items for instance, ten digit phone numbers; there was a way of improving it, unlike the sensory memory. A process known as chunking involves simplifying of information into smaller parts. For example, sub division of the ten digits into chunks of three facilitates memorizing thus easing the process of retrieving. [...]
[...] The knowledge about memory disorders thus results more extensively from the study of memory. Memory loss, also called amnesia, results from damages in different parts of the brain such as the hippocampus, thalamus and hypothalamus amongst others. These damages consequently contribute to the diversification of amnesia. However, other neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease also contribute to distress in cognition and memory. Moreover, hyperthymesia also referred to as hyperthymesic syndrome affects the autobiographical memory of individuals implying that the victims do not show signs of forgetting small details that would not be stored in normal cases. [...]
[...] Most importantly, individual's have a certain degree of control towards prevention of memory loss for instance, avoidance of drug abuse and accepting prescription of medicines only by qualified doctors. In general, avoidance of the above-mentioned causes of memory loss considerably reduces the overall exposure to memory loss. References Coon, D., Mitterer, J. O., Talbot, S., & Vanchella, C. M. (2010). Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Davies, J. L., & Janosik, E. H. (1991). [...]
[...] This disease forms the most prevalent for of dementia, especially on the basis that it has no cure. Its known characteristic of unremitting worsening with continued progression makes it a killer disease as it consequently leads to death in the end. Similarly, to symptoms of memory loss, symptoms of Alzheimer's disease illustrate assumptions of increment with age backed by manifestations of stress in the victims. To illustrate the link between Alzheimer's disease as a cause of memory loss, certain factors become known. [...]
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