Treat the Medical Conditions That May Be Robbing Your Memory and Thinking Skills

Health conditions that may not, on the surface, seem to have anything to do with memory and cognition may actually be causing challenges to your thinking skills now and raising your risk of dementia down the road. Indeed, just about any poorly controlled chronic health problem that affects the brain or other organs can cause cognitive decline and other consequences.

Fortunately, for many people, effective treatment can often turn things around and clear up the confusion, memory lapses, and other side effects, says neurologist Jonathan Rosand, MD, co-director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The following is a partial list of health conditions that can trigger cognitive impairment, particularly in older adults. There are many others.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

The body’s healthy production of red blood cells, nerves, and DNA rely on optimal levels of vitamin B12. The essential nutrient is also critical in avoiding megaloblastic anemia, which can make a person weak and tired. Vitamin B12 can be found in meat, poultry, and dairy products but not in plants. That means vegans are at a higher risk for B12 deficiency. And because healthy levels of stomach acid are needed for the absorption of B12, older adults (who tend to make less stomach acid over time) or people with certain digestive conditions are also at an elevated risk.

If you don’t get adequate amounts of vitamin B12 in your diet, you may need B12 supplements, either taken orally or by injection if levels are especially low.  “I’ve seen people make remarkable recoveries with vitamin B12 treatment,” Dr. Rosand says.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition in which tissue in the back of the throat relaxes while you’re sleeping and blocks your airway so there are pauses in your breathing. These pauses (or apneas) can occur dozens or hundreds of times each night, leading to complications such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other serious concerns. OSA can also lead to fatigue and cognitive problems, as it interferes with the steady flow of oxygenated blood to the brain.

Treatment options include special devices worn in the mouth to keep your airway open and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

Thyroid Disease

The thyroid gland plays a key role in metabolism, and the steady supply of thyroid hormones helps maintain healthy function of the brain, heart, muscles, and more. But an overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism) thyroid gland can cause problems throughout the body.

“If you’re suffering frequent episodes of cognitive impairment, we would check your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone—a marker of thyroid gland function) levels,” Dr. Rosand says. “I’ve picked up thyroid disease that way.” He adds, however, that by the time your thyroid disease is causing memory problems, it’s already manifested in other ways.

Hyperthyroidism is usually treated with anti-thyroid medications, to reduce thyroid hormone production. Radioactive iodine is used sometimes to injure thyroid gland cells so they won’t overproduce hormones. Surgery to remove the thyroid may be necessary in some cases, but you’ll need to take thyroid replacement hormones for the rest of your life. Hypothyroidism is usually treated with thyroid replacement medications.

Takeaway

Two other conditions linked to cognitive impairment include hydrocephalus—a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain—and diabetes—elevated levels of glucose in the bloodstream.

 While disease-triggered cognitive impairment is common, there are also many other causes of thinking-skills changes. Certain medications, poor sleep, alcohol or drug abuse, mental health disorders, and many other factors all can play a role.

And of course, moments of forgetfulness or confusion may be early signals of mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease or other causes of dementia.

Because you don’t always know up front what’s causing your thinking skills-changes, don’t hesitate to talk with your primary care physician to start finding some answers.

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