How does the Brain Process in Selective Amnesia?
A stress-free environment is beneficial for selective amnesia.
Amnesia is a condition where in an individual’s memory is lost or altered. There are two major classes of amnesia according to cause: organic and functional. Organic amnesia is caused by any physical damage or injury to the brain. Functional amnesia, on the other hand, is caused by psychological factors like psychosis and other mental problems. One of its most common causes is post-traumatic stress. Selective amnesia is classified under functional amnesia.
Causes of Amnesia:
- Brain infections – meningitis
- Brain injury caused by vehicular accidents, falls, head blows
- Traumatic events such as death of loved ones, rape, war
- Mental disorders
- Abuse of sedatives
- Degenerative diseases such as dementia
Forms of Amnesia
- Anterograde amnesia – impaired ability to remember new events and learn new things.
- Retrograde amnesia – a form of amnesia where in an individual fails to remember past life events prior to onset of amnesia but is able to retain knowledge and memories acquired after onset of the condition.
What is Selective Amnesia?
Selective amnesia is a result of a repressive defense mechanism of an individual after a traumatic or painful event such as death, rape, and any kind of abuse.
What Happens in Selective Amnesia?
The individual suffering from selective amnesia refused to remember a particular event, usually traumatic, preventing the brain from transferring that specific memory from short-term to long-term memory. Thus, temporarily or permanently erase it from the individual’s brain.
Some memories are already converted to long-term, but during recollection of these memories, they undergo a reprocessing. During this state, the memories stored deep in the brain surface out and are prone to alterations.
Can Selective Amnesia be induced?
In 2007, American researchers experimented on rats and had proven that a memory can be modified pharmacologically without altering other memories. They conditioned the rats, shocking them every after making a particular sound. One group of rats was given a medication known to cause forgetfulness and the other group was not. They observed the rats’ brain activities, in both groups. Result shows that the rats under medication are not excited when they hear the sound the researchers made.
In 2009, a group of medical students experimented on a drug RU38486 to treat posttraumatic stress syndrome. This drug blocks the effects of cortisol, a stress hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. The study was successful. Al though it was performed on rats, it had set a springboard for studies in humans.
Treatment for Selective Amnesia.
Amnesias with psychological causes are treated with psychiatric treatments. The role of healthcare providers in patients with selective amnesia is to provide care, love and belongingness. Strengthening these patients’ coping mechanisms can prevent reoccurrence of the condition.
Therefore, individuals suffering from selective amnesia should be taken to a place where they are loved and cared for. They need a stress-free environment conducive for healing and coping process. Selective amnesia is not a result of a brain damage but a shattered sense of security and deep emotional injury.
Photo by rayced/Valeriano Della Longa
