Memory loss is a common condition. In fact, one in nine people aged 45 and older say they have memory problems that have been getting worse over the previous year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Approximately 5.7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease

Scientists are working hard to understand memory loss, and come up with innovative treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions that cause memory loss. Unfortunately, memory loss is often misunderstood and several myths about it persist. Clarifying these myths can help individuals and their families manage the effects of memory loss, and plan for the future.

9 Myths about Memory Loss

1. Serious memory loss is a normal part of aging

Small lapses in memory do occur with age, so it is not unusual for older adults to lose their keys, struggle to find the right word or forget an appointment. It is unusual and a cause for concern when someone does not remember a close friend or family member, gets lost in a familiar place, confuses time of day, or forgets how to use an everyday object, like a key or microwave. Such serious changes in memory should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

2. Only older adults experience memory loss

Memory loss does not happen just to the very elderly – it can affect people before they reach retirement age. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, including memory loss, typically begin after the age of 60 but the brain changes associated with the disease can start a decade or more before the symptoms appear.

3. Memory loss is just an inconvenience – it is not fatal

Alzheimer’s disease can be fatal. The condition destroys brain cells and changes the brain in ways that affect a person’s memories and cause erratic behaviors. Brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s erode a person’s identity and affect his or her ability to connect with others, think, talk, eat, walk and find the way home. Eventually, Alzheimer’s disease causes the loss of body functions.

4. All memory loss is the result of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is just one of the conditions that can cause memory loss. These conditions, often referred to with the umbrella term “dementia,” can include:

Each of these conditions affects the brain in a slightly different way, and therefore causes a variety of memory loss symptoms. The symptoms between the various memory loss conditions can be similar in many cases, though, so misdiagnoses are possible.

Medications, injuries, illnesses, strokes and other factors can affect memory. The loss of memory may be associated with the following medical conditions, according to the American Psychological Association:

5. Seeing a doctor isn’t beneficial because there is no cure

While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, doctors can diagnose the cause of the memory problem. Doctors can even prescribe medications to help alleviate many of the symptoms, such as agitation, depression and sleeplessness, which often accompany Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

6. Doctors can diagnose memory loss with one simple test

Doctors and other health professionals use a variety of tools to assess and diagnose memory loss. Practitioners use tests like the Mini Mental Status Exam or the Clock Drawing Test to determine if a patient needs further testing. A complete diagnostic workup for memory problems includes blood work, neurological tests that can include imaging of the brain, a review of the patient’s family history, a complete physical, and a mental status exam. Each type of evaluation provides another piece of information leading to an accurate diagnosis of memory loss.

7. Doing puzzles can improve your memory

While it is a form of memory training, doing puzzles only strengthens the type of memory it uses, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. For example, doing crossword puzzles only strengthens the brain’s ability to do crossword puzzles. Furthermore, the benefits only last as long as you keep doing the puzzles – when you stop, the improvements to your memory stop too.

8. Physical exercise is useless

Even modest physical exercise, such as walking and bicycling, can keep your mind sharper. Physical activity can also reduce your risk of dementia.

While medical professionals agree that exercise improves memory, they are not yet sure exactly how. They think that moving around might improve blood flow to the brain, or that physical activity might exercise your brain by causing it to think about the movements or the repetitions involved in a workout. Physical activity in the form of sports also promotes social engagement, which is good for the brain.

9. Treatment can cure Alzheimer’s disease and other types of serious memory conditions

Unfortunately, no treatment available today can cure, delay or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, although medical researchers are working hard to find a cure. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some medications that can slow the worsening of symptoms for 6 to 12 months, but these medications only work for about half of the people who try them.

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