Mid-Life Memory Problems

As I crossed the threshold into middle age, something happened to my mind. For the first time in my life, I felt vague and foggy. Almost overnight, I found that I was missing critical information - the names of people and places, the titles of books and films.

Words had started to play hide-and-seek. My mind emptied as quickly as the mental calendar, once easily summoned, grew elusive and developed blank spots, as did my sense of direction. The change was so dramatic that sometimes I felt foreign to myself.

It may seem as if midlife forgetfulness arrives overnight. In fact, the decaying of memory and attention is a slow process that begins in our 20s.

By the time we hit our 40s, though, compromised memory is a problem for most people. 'It may be normal,' a friend said over supper, 'but it isn't acceptable.

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