Page 23 - The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss and Enhance Memory Power

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While this theory may apply to some people, as we grow older there is a different type of memory
loss that affects most of us. This memory loss is a direct result of the aging process.

Benign versus Malignant Memory Loss

In the 1960s, V. A. Kral, a Canadian physician, coined the term “benign senescent forgetfulness” to
describe the mild memory loss that he observed in older people, which he distinguished from the
more malignant memory loss that is an early sign of dementia. Kral's terminology has been replaced
by “age-associated memory impairment” (AAMI) and ‘‘age-related cognitive decline” (ARCD).
Cognition is a word used to describe a wide range of intellectual functions, including memory. The
term “mild cognitive impairment” (MCI) defines a broad group of people who have cognitive
deficits and fall between the categories of “normal” and “dementia.” Although the original “benign
senescent forgetfulness” is rapidly disappearing from the field, it is still useful to recognize that
memory loss during aging is often “benign,” because it does not worsen markedly over time,
especially if sound preventive measures are employed. My patient David Finestone was a case in
point: he adopted a systematic program that improved his memory and overall level of functioning.

Forgetting Names

I have always tended to forget the names of people when I am introduced to them for the first time. I
am sure that many of the people I met were convinced that I forgot their names because I didn't
really care one way or another. In some cases this was true. But even when I do make a conscious
effort to remember a name, I often cannot retain it unless it is repeated back to me. Even more
embarrassing is when I meet someone who crossed my path some months or years ago and I discover
that I am absolutely clueless about that person's name. I wouldn't be surprised if some of you have
had similar experiences, though hopefully not as often as I've had.

Before I started studying memory loss, I preferred to forget this personal flaw. However, at the
back of my mind was the memory of how my mother used to constantly joke about my late father's
inability to remember names. I grew up in Calcutta, India, and my father would regularly call Mr.
Chatterjee by the name of Mr. Banerjee while