Unfortunately, with age the brain’s gray matter starts to decrease in volume, and this could be why you may find it harder to remember certain stories, people or tasks. And while a decline in memory retention and focus is somewhat inevitable as you get older, it becomes more pronounced in those with early signs of dementia.
“Dementia is a general term to refer to neurodegenerative diseases that cause an impairment in cognitive function that interferes with day-to-day living, as it affects memory, decision-making, thinking and social abilities,” says Dr. Jaydeep Tripathy, a primary care physician at Doctor Spring who is also board-certified in internal medicine.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells. This damage interferes with the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other. When brain cells cannot communicate normally, thinking, behavior and feelings can be affected.” Types of dementia can include Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, Creutzfeldt-Jakob and more.
