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The natural deterioration of memory caused by aging exhibits fewer problems when it comes to

activities controlled by the brain such as speech as compared to injury or diseased prone memory
loss.

In the book titled Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Illness and Disability written by
Donna R. Falvo and published in 2005 Donna R. Falvo states that damage to the right cerebral
hemisphere results in paralysis of the left side of the body. A more recent and article published in
2013 by the Ohio States Wexner Medical Center seems to be in agreement with Donna R. Flavo.
However the damage to the right cerebral hemisphere mentioned was specified as being caused
by a stroke in that region which as the article states may cause one of many symptoms which
includes left sided paralysis.In a second book titled Handbook of Severe Disability: A Text for
Rehabilitation Counselors, Other Vocational Practitioners and Allied Health Professionals
published in 1981 and written by Micheal R. Clowers states that MCA stroke or one-sided
cerebral trauma causes paralysis in the opposite side of the body. While all texts are in
agreement that damage to the right hemisphere may result in paralysis of the left side of the
body, there is however some disparity in the dates of publication. Information being as old as 32
years old may not be as reliable as those as recent as 2013.
While reviewing the literature available on agnosia it was seen that there is a general consensus
that it is due to damage and/or lesions present in the brain and type of agnosia formed is
dependent on the area lesions (Joseph, 2000) and lesions in the right brain hemisphere can lead
to conditions known as finger agnosia and autotopagnosia. In the book Neuropsychological
Assesment it states that finger agnosia is characterized by an inability to recognize ones finger
and is supported by in an article Finger Agnosia: Fiction or Reality (Salla and Spinnler, 1994)

and while both articles agree as too exactly what finger agnosia is they disagree as to if it is a
separate condition from or just a specific manifestation (Lezark 2004) of autotopagnosia with
Salla and Spinnler believing that it is separate. The literature present on the topic was very easy
to comprehend and easily available with the first publication being in 1902 continuing to 2010.
The effects of aging on memory is forgetting a persons name, a movies title, the pausing to
remember directions to a house or even a recent conversation according to Melinda Smith et al;
While disease inflicted memory loss such as Dementia has deeper level s described, such as
disoriented in familiar places and trouble making decisions. MFMER 2012 suggests injury
caused memory lost affects the ability to perform the task of speech accordingly because a stroke
causes paralysis and therefore the loss of control of muscle to a side of the body which is
controlled by a hemisphere of the brain.

Reference
Blom, D, Jan. 2009. A Dictionary of Hallucinations. New York: Springer.
Clowers, R, Micheal. 1981. Handbook of Severe Disability, A Text for Rehabilitation Counselors,
Other Vocational Practitioners and Allied Health Professionals. Edited by Clowers R.
Micheal, Stolov C. Walter. Department of Rehabilitation University of Washington.
Washington. D.C.
Folvo, R, Donna. 2005. Medical and psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Illness and Disability. 3rd
Edition. Jones and Barlett Publishers, Inc. 40 Tall Pine Drive Sudbury. MA

Joseph,

Rhawn.

2000.

Agnosia.

2010.

Accessed

March

10th,

2013.

http://brainmind.com/Agnosia.html
Larner, J. Andrew. 2010. A Dictionary of Neurological Signs. 3rd Edition. New York: Springer.
Lezark, Howieson, Loring, Hannay, and Fisher. 2004. Neuropsychological Assesment. 4th
Edition. New York: Oxford University Press.
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER).2012. Stroke. July 3,2012 .
Accessed March 10,2012 .http//:mayoclinic.com /print/stroke/ds00150
Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center. 2013. Effects of Stroke. March 10th 2013.
http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare_services/stroke/effects/pages/index.as
px.
Sala, D, Sergio and Hans Spinnler. 1994. JAMA Neurology. Finger Agnosia: Fiction or
Reality. 51(5): 448 450.
Smith,Melinda.,M.A,L.Robinson.R.Segal. Memory loss and aging. November,2012.
Accessed March 9,2012.http//:www.helpguide.org/life/prevent_memory_loss.htm

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