Amnesia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Amnesia - Essay Example There are other details of amnesia of this kind which vary according to different conditions. In contrast functional or psychological amnesia has been classically retrograde meaning the person is not able to recollect past experience. With the recent surge in awareness of relation between body, cognition, intellect, and mind, a newer branch of science, namely, cognitive neuropsychiatry examines this psychic disease process more intensely. In this assignment two articles, one from the news or popular lay media and the other from scientific experimental literature will be examined critically in order to find out the scientific information and knowledge update related to psychological amnesia with the basic research hypothesis, although no organic brain lesion has been demonstrated in functional amnesia, there is a solid scientific basis and cause effect relationship for this type of amnesia. Killian (2009) in his article titled "Amnesia put her life on hold; now, she's graduating" in May 15, 2009, NewsRecord describes the case of Marshall, who following a bout of viral encephalitis in the senior year of her high school had amnesia. This followed an illness of high fever, followed by loss of memories. The author quotes Marshall's experience of sudden loss of memory, which led to loss of all touch to her old and acquainted environment, and following this incident, she could not remember anything of her past life, and it was something like "first memory of the world" at all. She could not recognize any one in her family, but she could remember habitual works such as "tying the lace of my shoes." This illness led to her admission to the hospital where her stay lasted for 7 days. During this time, it was diagnosed that the infection involved certain areas of brain where certain types of memories and skills were affected. After coming back home, the previously used practiced tasks were difficult to do, and she needed help in her household chores. There was obviously an identity crises where she failed to recognize herself, family, or even personal things as her own. Her academic achievements in the school before this incident were outstanding, both in studies and extracurricular activities. She had been a outgoing student at North Iredell High School. She was a musician and a drum major in the school band. After this incident, she was withdrawn and shy, and her former friends appeared to her as strangers, and this led to considerable alienation. There was obviously a change in her personality, but her amnesia contributed to it in a greater extent. Her mother pursued her educations, and since she had enough credits from her school, with her grades she was accepted in many schools. On the day of her high school graduation she could not make out what is graduation, and how it was important for her, although her family was very happy for her. A break came while she followed a program Starting Over, when she decided not to join college and decided that she will have to rebuild her connections with the real world. She was growing but very slowly, and in this reality TV show, she came to realize what she had lost and how she can progress in her life with new goals. Meanwhile, she joined college with her brother, and she decided to major in communications. She is expected to graduate soon. This news is a report of an incident where the author has taken poetic license.