Weakened Memory Recall: Leading to Remembering?

Scientific American ran an article, Helping Alzheimer’s Patients Bring Back Memories Targeting recall processes could let people who are in the disease’s early stages access what they currently can’t remember.

People of all ages have moments when it feels like we’re on the edge of recalling something but can’t quite do it—where we parked our car or left our phone, for example, or what name goes with that familiar face. It’s extremely frustrating in the moment, but for most of us, we can usually remember if we try. For patients with Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and many other dementia-causing diseases, however, memory loss is much more profound.

The article discusses two theories regarding memory loss: “one is that these patients can’t store new information properly in the brain; the other is that their ability to recall stored information has been weakened.”   The author discusses his research and how that led him to support the “weakened memory recall idea.”

The author uses great analogies to help the reader understand the science of the disease and the work. The author notes that there is a lot yet to know, “but what’s clear is that we need to take advantage of targeting recall to help treat patients in the near future.” 

Thanks to my colleague and friend, Professor Feeley, for sending me this article.