Memory Disorders

Terminology

Declarative memory:

Semantic declarative memory:remembering facts e.g. numbers and areas of knowledge e.g. language

Episodic declarative memory: remembering the time and place

Procedural memory: remembering how to do things e.g. ride a bicycle

Short term memory: recent memory of events e.g. what you had for breakfast

Immediate short term memory: Being able to recall a fact just told to you e.g. repeat the following phone number.

Long term memory: remembering something from your childhood

Aphasia: impaired language/ communication.

Expressive aphasia (Broca’s): impaired language fluency, and repetition, normal comprehension

Receptive aphasia (Wernicke): impaired comprehension and repetition but normal fluency.

Conduction aphasia: impaired repetition but normal comprehension and fluency.

Global aphasia: impaired comprehension, repetition and fluency.

Memory Disorders

Amnesia is severe memory loss. Retrograde amnesia is when memories before an incident/ condition are lost. Anterograde amnesia is loss of the ability to remember events after an incident/condition.

Wernicke-Korsakoff or Korsakoff’s syndrome is characterized by ataxia and memory problems with the patient being unaware that they have a memory deficit.