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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : May 4, 2014 12:26 PM IST
Those soldiers who cannot remember their families as a result of an injury in line of duty may soon get their memories back. Military researchers here are now gearing up to unveil a sophisticated memory stimulator that can restore lost memories. The project is a part of President Barack Obama's $100 million (Rs. 601.6 crore) initiative to better understand the human brain.
'If you have been injured in the line of duty and you cannot remember your family, we want to be able to restore those kinds of functions,' said Justin Sanchez, programme manager at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), US. 'We think that we can develop neuroprosthetic devices that can directly interface with the hippocampus (part of the brain involved in memory forming, organising, and storing), and can restore the first type of memories we are looking at, the declarative memories,' he said.
Declarative memories are recollections of people, events, facts and figures. Till now, scientists have not been able to show that they can put back declarative memories once they are lost. Once developed, the device could be a boon for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. The declaration made recently at a conference convened by the Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas raised ethical questions about whether the human mind should be manipulated in the name of staving off war injuries or managing the ageing brain.
What is Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative mental disease that causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour. It is the most common form of dementia and is commonly seen in the elderly. While the chances of developing the disease increase with age, it is now seen that younger people are also now being diagnosed with the disease.
During the course of Alzheimer's disease, nerve cells in areas of the brain that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and conscious thought die due to plaque deposition. Symptoms include confusion, mood swings, impaired reasoning or judgement, long-term memory loss and a gradual loss of bodily functions.Dementia is the most prominently visible symptom. People with Alzheimer's begin to have problems recognising family and friends. They also find it exceptionally difficult to learn new things, carry out tasks that involve multiple steps (like getting dressed) and cope with new situations. They might suffer from insomnia. In the more severe stages of Alzheimer's disease, the brain completely shrinks and they become increasinglydependent on others.
The diagnosis of Alzheimer's is usually based on collective symptoms and family history. Other tests that can be performed are mental status tests and radiological tests. A recent advancement in the diagnosis of the disease is the use of biomarkers. Current treatments for Alzheimer's are based on treating the symptoms but they do not eliminate the cause. The best way to slow the process and prevent it from progressing is early medical intervention. The earlier the condition is identified, the better the prognosis. Treatments include medications for memory loss and treatments for behavioural and sleep changes. Intervention therapies like reminiscence therapy, simulated presence therapy and validation theory may improve the quality of a patient's life.
With inputs from IANS
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