What is a Stroke?
A stroke is when blood flow to brain tissue is impaired usually by an artery being clogged or a burst artery. When the blood flow is interrupted, brain cells die.
Treatment involves reversing the cause of the stroke; that is, removing the clog or repairing the burst vessel. Drugs might be used to dissolve a clot. A blockage might be physically removed with surgery. The goal, of course, it to restore blood flow as fast as possible and prevent further damage.
When brain cells are dead, they are dead… whether by stroke, trauma, drug abuse, or any other cause. But that does not mean the patient can not recover. The remaining brain cells can be recruited to perform the functions previously done with other brain cells.
Can Memory Loss Be Reversed?
Sometimes memory loss is very temporary. In “Transient Ischemic Attack” (TIA), symptoms, including confusion, can last a few minutes to a day or two. The symptoms depend mostly on how many cells are damaged and where the damage.
Memory loss is a common symptom of brain damage. Short term memory loss is more common in someone who has had a stroke. Someone with short term memory loss might repeat the same story since they do not remember telling it to you only moments earlier; Yet the story may have been from a memory long before.
Both short term and long term memory loss may be restored. Similar to re-learning to walk and talk, the more the patterns are trained, the better they do as other brain cells are recruited to make the new circuits.
Memory therapy may involve exercising the brain by reminiscing with family and friends. Photos or favorite music can stimulate new brain connections. Things that people hold on to, favorite t-shirts, collectibles, and interests can also help re-train the brain.
