Dad Can Do Time Travel … But Grandpa Can't!

Why the fuss about episodic memory? This is the type of memory that is very susceptible to failure in many situations. Memory failure of this sort is usually referred to as amnesia. One of the most common examples of episodic memory failure is experienced by people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) [1]. AD is actually a type of dementia, which is a much more severe problem than amnesia. Patients with dementia suffer from multiple types of cognitive problems that include amnesia, aphasia (trouble using and understanding language), difficulty with abstract thinking, and trouble performing complex activities. AD usually begins with amnesia that gradually progresses over many years to the point where people who have AD can no longer care for themselves. Although there are some medications that can produce slight improvements in the symptoms of AD, these medications have very small benefits and do not attack the fundamental problems of the disorder.