The Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory

The Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory......Page 1
Other books from Harvard Medical School and McGraw-Hill......Page 3
Copyright Info......Page 5
Dedication......Page 6
TOC......Page 7
Acknowledgments......Page 11
Introduction - You Can Protect and Improve Your Memory......Page 15
1 - What Is Memory?......Page 23
Short-Term Memory......Page 24
Long-Term Memory......Page 27
Making Memories......Page 33
2 - How You Remember......Page 35
Your Brain’s Memory Networks......Page 36
Three Stages of Memory......Page 38
Memories That Last......Page 48
3 - It Happens to Everyone: Normal Memory Lapses and Distortions......Page 51
Schacter’s Seven Sins......Page 52
The Rashomon Effect......Page 63
4 - How Your Brain Ages......Page 65
What Is Normal Aging?......Page 66
The Cycle of Neuronal Death and Neurogenesis......Page 67
Communication Problems......Page 68
Which Cognitive Functions Are Most Vulnerable to Aging?......Page 72
Which Cognitive Functions Are Age-Resistant?......Page 73
Is There a Fountain of Youth for Your Brain?......Page 74
5 - Causes of Memory Problems......Page 77
Genes......Page 79
Hormones......Page 80
Common Age-Related Illnesses......Page 82
Neurological Disorders......Page 87
Cancer......Page 93
Mood, Stress, and Memory......Page 94
Medications......Page 98
Sleep......Page 101
Diet and Nutrition......Page 104
Alcohol......Page 108
Exercise......Page 109
Intellectual Stimulation......Page 110
Smoking......Page 111
Illicit Drug Use......Page 112
Toxic Exposure......Page 113
Self-Help or Professional Help?......Page 115
David’s Memory Problems......Page 117
Do You Need a Memory Evaluation?......Page 121
When You Visit Your Doctor......Page 122
Neuropsychological Testing......Page 126
Specialized Tests......Page 130
Other Specialty Consultations......Page 134
After the Testing......Page 136
7 - Memory Disorders......Page 139
Normal Versus Abnormal Forgetting......Page 140
Amnesia......Page 141
Mild Cognitive Impairment......Page 147
Dementia......Page 150
Treating Memory Disorders......Page 154
8 - Memory Medications......Page 155
Drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease......Page 157
Drugs for Mild Cognitive Impairment......Page 159
Alternative Remedies for Memory Loss......Page 160
New Drugs Under Study......Page 162
Improving Your Memory Without Medication......Page 170
9 - Prevention and Proaction: The Path to Optimal Memory......Page 173
Obtain Regular Exercise......Page 174
Take Vitamins......Page 176
Involve Yourself with Others......Page 178
Maintain Healthful Nutrition......Page 179
Aim for a Good Night’s Sleep......Page 180
Learn Something New......Page 183
Engage in Life!......Page 186
Manage Stress......Page 187
Routinely Take Precautions to Protect Your Brain......Page 190
The Next Step......Page 191
10 - Practical Strategies to Enhance Everyday Memory......Page 193
Get Organized......Page 194
Behaviors for Effective Learning and Memory......Page 197
Memory Techniques......Page 200
Putting the Strategies into Practice......Page 203
Professional Memory Training......Page 205
Future Frontiers......Page 207
11 - On the Horizon......Page 209
Preventing and Curing Memory Disorders......Page 210
Cognitive Enhancers......Page 215
Optimal Memory Redefine......Page 217
Organizations......Page 219
Books......Page 222
Index......Page 225