A Woman With A 24-Hours Memory - Essay Sample

Introduction

Michelle Philpots, 53 years old, has a rare memory disorder. Her memory is refreshed each day. Two separate road accidents severely damaged her brain. Now, her short-term memory is a blurred line. She wakes up each day thinking it's 1994. In 1985, she was riding a motorbike when she was in a road accident. She was later diagnosed with epilepsy. In 1990, she was involved in a car accident. She has suffered from memory loss ever since. Michelle's disorder is called anterograde amnesia.

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Anterograde amnesia refers to the brain's inability to store new memories. It makes it impossible to recall past memories. Long-term memories from the past are stored in the brain, and they are fully functional. Anterograde amnesia is usually caused by damage to at least three brain areas: the basal forebrain and the hippocampus. The brain permanently remembers the hippocampus as it is the main door through which new facts information can pass. The hippocampus can be damaged, which Michelle did. This means that no new facts will become permanent memories. After epilepsy, Michelle was diagnosed in 1985 after her first accident on the road. The basal forebrain, another brain component responsible for memory-related activity, was also damaged. Basal forebrain refers to the brain structure that produces acetylcholine. This organic chemical acts as a neurotransmitter and helps brain cells retain newly learned information.

Michelle's basal brain was injured by aneurysm. This is an excess localized enlargement, or aneurysm of an artery. Michelle suffered severe injuries in her 1990 car accident. The diencephalon is the last section of the brain to be damaged. It is a complex set of structures deep inside the brain. There is no reason to believe that memory damage could result from damage to the diencephalon. Korsakoff's Disease, a condition that results from a lack of thiamin and eventually damages brain areas that are crucial for memory, is one possible cause of amnesia. In 2005, her brain was removed from dead and damaged cells. This prevented her from suffering seizures.

Michelle Philpots presently wakes up every morning thinking it's 1994. Ian Philpots, her husband, must show her their wedding photos to prove they are married. They got married in 1997 which was several years after Michelle's retrograde amnesia. She began to lose her brain's ability to store memories and she was forced to quit her job as a solicitor's assistant because she spent the entire day copying the same document. To keep track of her appointments and daily duties, she used post-it notes and her mobile phone to remind her. Michelle must keep a list of all her activities and any conversations she had with people. She will forget it the next day when she wakes up and thinks it's 1994. She always has a satnav with her address in case she needs to leave the house for an occasion. Michelle loves watching BBC soap Eastenders on a daily basis, even though she does not know the characters or the plot.

Conclusion

Michelle is currently alive, even though her days are the same as 1994. She lives in Spalding in Lincolnshire, England. She claims to live the same day as her husband. He must remind her every day that he is her husband. Michelle strives to live each day to the fullest, even though it seems like every day is the same. She must have post-it notes everywhere and be equipped with a satellite navigation system when she leaves her house. Rehabilitation specialists help her improve her memory and train it. With the help of a guide, she has passed several digital memory exams. Michelle volunteers three days a week for a local disabled charity. She says that when she wakes up, everything outside is the same. It's difficult to explain, but it seems like every day is the same day. It's almost like every day is the same.