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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
cortisol related memory loss
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
cortisol related memory loss
by sudhirmakol, Nov 25, 2002 12:00AM
Hello doctor
My brother aged 30 yrs. suffers from acute problem of memory loss due to 3 yrs. of continuous stressful period which included betrayal & disputes with his close freinds, death of his dad, major surgery for pelvic fractures and acute prolonged OCD phases. Now he is fully out of all stresses but can't acquire new memories. He reads text, travels, meet people but nothing remains in memory after 2-3 days even after repetitions. Over the last some months his cortisol levels were noted to be 4-5 times the normal. Also having a feeling of heaviness & pain over the areas above ears. MRI report showing nothing. Neurologists are of the opinion that this could be a hippocampal damage or pseudo-dementia. His routine has also got a lot difficult & he notes everything in his diaries. Has acquired acute feeling of incompleteness & suicidal tendency.He also has a past history of acute depression, neurosis and OCD episodes having fearful compulsive thoughts spanning 7-8 yrs.
Qs. How to acertain that it is surely a cortisol related damage & its extent ?
Qs. Is the damage reversible & what all can help regenerating dead nerves etc.?
have a nicetime ahead
My brother aged 30 yrs. suffers from acute problem of memory loss due to 3 yrs. of continuous stressful period which included betrayal & disputes with his close freinds, death of his dad, major surgery for pelvic fractures and acute prolonged OCD phases. Now he is fully out of all stresses but can't acquire new memories. He reads text, travels, meet people but nothing remains in memory after 2-3 days even after repetitions. Over the last some months his cortisol levels were noted to be 4-5 times the normal. Also having a feeling of heaviness & pain over the areas above ears. MRI report showing nothing. Neurologists are of the opinion that this could be a hippocampal damage or pseudo-dementia. His routine has also got a lot difficult & he notes everything in his diaries. Has acquired acute feeling of incompleteness & suicidal tendency.He also has a past history of acute depression, neurosis and OCD episodes having fearful compulsive thoughts spanning 7-8 yrs.
Qs. How to acertain that it is surely a cortisol related damage & its extent ?
Qs. Is the damage reversible & what all can help regenerating dead nerves etc.?
have a nicetime ahead
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Nov 25, 2002 12:00AM
, Nov 25, 2002 12:00AM
Although this sounds very much like a neurological, rather than psychological, problem, there is something you could do that might clarify things better. Since he has had so many stressful events recently, the anxiety and stress may be contributing to the severity of the symptoms, making the exact diagnosis and treatment more difficult.
Therefore ask for an extended consultation ( 3-5 visits) by a psychiatrist who will fully explore and talk to your brother about the stress events and see if that short intervention actually changes his symptoms. That will give you and the neurologists some important information about how to proceed.
Therefore ask for an extended consultation ( 3-5 visits) by a psychiatrist who will fully explore and talk to your brother about the stress events and see if that short intervention actually changes his symptoms. That will give you and the neurologists some important information about how to proceed.
Please i need how to evaluate this problem ( may be tests)& what therapies i should adopt. We already had psychiatric sessions but to no use. Is there any neural regeneration possible in this case & how. Plz. help me out.
have a nice day