Quizzes
Quiz: What Do You Know About Preventing Memory Loss?

By Chris Woolston
CONSUMER HEALTH INTERACTIVE

Have you ever asked for a "whatchamacallit" when you really needed a hammer? Did you ever forget the name of someone you just met? Even in the best of cases, memory is surprisingly fragile. As a person gets older, memory glitches can become a little more common -- and more frightening. Young people laugh off their forgetful moments, but many older people worry that every slipup is a sign of Alzheimer's disease. How much do you know about aging, memory, and the warning signs of Alzheimer's? Take this short quiz to find out.


1. Your memory is practically guaranteed to slip a little as you get older.

True
False

2. As you age, there's not much you can do to improve your memory.

True
False

3. Which of these is a clear sign of a serious memory problem?

a. Forgetting where you parked your car
b. Losing your car keys
c. Temporarily forgetting a common word
d. None of the above

4. Which of these is a sign of normal age-related memory loss?

a. Finding yourself unable to do routine tasks, like preparing a meal
b. Forgetting how to balance a checkbook
c. Having trouble finding familiar places when driving
d. Needing extra time to do calculations in your head

5. When a person develops Alzheimer's disease, short-term memory is the first type of memory to go.

True
False

6. Which of these conditions can cause reversible memory loss?

a. Thyroid hormone deficiency
b. Depression
c. Vitamin B-12 deficiency
d. All of the above

7. Heavy alcohol use may harm day-to-day memory.

True
False

8. Most people over age 65 have some form of Alzheimer's disease.

True
False