Understanding the Effects of Cognitive impairments and Memory difficulties, after Stroke
Among the many side effects of stroke survivors struggles with are cognitive issues. These are very likely to occur after a frontal lobe stroke or a stroke that affects the brain’s ability to think analytically or rationally. Aside from analytical thinking, some stroke survivors executive functions and memory, experience deficit.
In this article we will consider some common cognitive issues that may occur after individuals suffer stroke. We will also find out reasons why memory difficulties occur after stroke, and how survivors can improve their memory after having a stroke.
Other topics include memory exercises for stroke patients to try at home, and whether memory can improve on its own after stroke? We will begin with some very common cognitive stroke effects.
Some Very Common Cognitive Stroke After- effects
Below are some most common cognitive effects of stroke:
Aphasia (language difficulty or disorder)
Aphasia is a common language difficulty or disorder that may happen after a stroke, especially a left -hemisphere stroke. Not all language problems are considered aphasia, but it is a generally used term that covers most speech problems.
Treatment always involve speech therapy exercises. If the affected person cannot talk at all, singing therapy may be helpful. Alternative forms of communication can also be introduced during speech therapy if needed.
Attention difficulty and memory impairment
The frontal lobe handles higher cognitive functions such as memory and attention. When it suffer damage after a stroke, it can make handling everyday cognitive functions, such as remembering where you put your phone or paying attention to someone talking to you more difficult.
Sometimes, memory after stroke improves on its own and when it happens that way, it is called spontaneous recovery.
On the other hand, studies have shown that cognitive training helps improve cognitive function after stroke. This type of training is basically done with a speech therapist.
Vascular dementia or (Post-stroke dementia)
When individuals experience dementia after having stroke, it is called vascular dementia. This condition results from the impact of the stroke. Vascular dementia can cause a person to develop cognitive issues like impaired thinking and reasoning, memory loss, confusion, decreased attention span, and more. It is important to work with a medical team for proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment. We will have a detailed discussion on it the next chapter.
Pseudobulbar affect
An after stroke side effect know as pseudobulbar affect (pba), or (emotional incontinence), can cause random outbursts of laughter or crying when inappropriate to the context or situation. The treatment includes medication and/or psychotherapeutic intervention.
Behavioral changes
Some stroke survivors demonstrate different behaviors after a stroke, such as anger or aggression. Sometimes irregular behaviors may occur, which could be a secondary effect caused by vascular dementia or other cognitive changes.
Depression and anxiety disorder
Depression is one of the most common complications after a stroke, it affects almost half of the survivors. Don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor about your mental health after having a stroke. Treatments can help survivors maintain the motivation necessary to keep pursuing rehabilitation.
When it comes to cognitive after-effects of a stroke, it is best to work with a speech language pathologist (SLP). These individuals are highly skilled in working with stroke survivors that have language difficulties and other cognitive issues. In the next section we will find out the reason why memory difficulties occur after stroke.
Reason why memory difficulties occur after stroke
Working memory is a skill that help us to retain important information until when we need it. It serves as kind of temporary storehouse in our brain. It is the working memory that helps us remember to get what we need, when we need them. It also help us navigate our ways without getting stuck or lost.
When stroke affects the areas of the brain that is responsible for the memory, the temporary storehouse may begin to look empty and lose their functions. As a result, survivors may start to forget things easily, because stroke has impaired their brain’s ability to hold information.
Despite the effects of stroke, research shows that cognitive rehabilitation can improve survivors working memory capacity after a stroke. Cognitive rehabilitation includes retraining cognitive functions like memory and teaching compensation strategies to cope with impaired skills.
Usually Speech-Language Pathologists help with cognitive rehabilitation after stroke. These are experts in communication.
It is true, most of their work revolves around restoring language skills, they also help with cognitive-communication skills including memory.
Additionally, language difficulties tend to overlap with memory impairments too, this makes the services of SLPs very important for stroke survivors who struggles with cognitive difficulties.
If cognitive difficulties are affecting activities of daily living, occupational therapists work with the survivors to adapt or modify their activities and provide compensatory strategies. In the next article, we look at how stroke survivors can improve memory after stroke.
How stroke survivors can improve their memory after stroke
Our brain has a natural ability to heal after sustaining injury and rewire itself. The means by which it does so is known as neuroplasticity. It is this process that all skills are learned or re-learned after individuals suffer neurological injury like stroke.
To activate neuroplasticity survivors must engage in “massed practice”, which means practicing a skill with high frequency and high repetition. The brain adapts to the activities that you practice on a regular basis. It strives to get better at those skills you practice regularly, by strengthening the neural pathways involved in those activities.
This same concept applies to cognitive functions like memory. As a result, recovering memory after stroke requires massed practice of memory-specific tasks and exercises. The more individuals exercise their memory, the better it will get.
Summary
When stroke affects the brain areas that controls memory, the temporary storehouse may begin to look empty and lose their functions. As a result, survivors may start to forget things easily, because stroke has impaired their brain’s ability to hold information.
However, irrespective of the effects of stroke, research indicates that cognitive rehabilitation can improve survivors working memory capacity after a stroke. Cognitive rehabilitation includes retraining cognitive functions like memory and teaching.
So if you or your loved ones have some difficulties with memory as result of stroke or other health conditions, take advantage of various rehabilitation options, including cognitive exercises for stroke survivors. It is very possible to improve your memory to allow you function and live normal life. Wishing the best of recovery.
Book to link: Cognitive impairments after Stroke – how to improve your memory and the effects of Vascular Dementia.