Practical Strategies to Tackle Memory Challenges

1. Practical Strategies to Tackle Memory Challenges Komal Shaikh, MSc, MA Presented by:

2. Cancer-related cognitive dysfunction • Symptoms • Fatigue • Sleep disturbance • Cognitive impairments: memory, learning, attention problems • One of the most common cognitive complaints: memory

3. Mechanisms of CRCD • Direct neurotoxic effect • Hormonal changes • Secondary immunologic response • Anemia • Microvascular injury • Genetic Predisposition

4. Memory processes • Three-stage model of memory:

5. The Brain • Memory is not localized to a singular brain area • Instead, different areas are implicated in different types of memory

6. Memory Types • Semantic Memory • Immediate memory • Recent memory • Remote memory • Prospective memory • Procedural memory

7. Semantic Memory • Accumulated information learned over the lifetime • Unlimited capacity • Typically semantic memory is stable or improves over time

8. Immediate or Working Memory • Remembering small information for several seconds • Fades very quickly • Definite capacity: “Magic number 7 +/- 2”

9. Recent Memory • Remembering information from hours, days ago • You probably remember more than you think you do • Recall vs. Recognition

10. Remote Memory • Remembering things that happened years ago • Sometimes referred to as autobiographical memory

11. Prospective Memory • Remembering to do things in the future

12. Procedural Memory • Remembering how to do things • Habits • Can be used as a memory strategy

13. Factors Affecting Memory • Medical disorders and diseases • Medications • Diet • Physical exercise • Cognitive engagement • Attitude • Stress and relaxation

14. Memory Strategies

15. Memory Strategies • Focusing attentional resources on one task at a time

16. Memory Strategies • Deep processing • Involves elaborating on to-be-learned information • Deep processing > phonological processing > structural processing • Association • Creating a bridge between new information and old information • Visualization

17. Memory Strategies • Chunking information • Individual pieces of to-be-learned information is organized into meaningful groupings (“chunks”) which can then be retrieved and unpacked at retrieval • Creating mnemonics • Mnemonics are encoding strategies used to organize and or chunk to-be-learned material in order to make it more meaningful and easier to remember

18. Memory Strategies • Creating habits to improve memory • Organizing your environment in a manner that aids your memory

19. Memory Strategies • Using external aids • Agendas • Notes • Calendar apps

20. Memory Strategies • Practice Retrieval • practicing retrieval of information from long-term memory enhances retention more than continued study of the information

21. Memory Strategies • Systems level approach • Stress • Deep breathing • Progressive muscle relaxation • Mindfulness • Self-compassion & memory partners • Cognitive Engagement • Sleep & Exercise

22. Other Strategies • Self-reference effect • Refers to the memory advantage for material personally related to the learner • Generation effect • Refers to the memory advantage for learner created materials b • Encoding Specificity • Retrieval of a memory is more likely is cues present at retrieval were also present at encoding someone else