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Thinking it's Dementia? The Real Cause of Cognitive Decline, a Warning Light for the Brain

"What was that story I heard yesterday?", "What was I about to do?", "I can't remember people's names well..." Have you had such experiences recently? It's easy to dismiss frequent forgetfulness as something anyone can experience. However, if such minor inconveniences repeat, you might feel anxious, wondering if it's a precursor to dementia. Especially as you age, these worries naturally grow. Changes in cognitive function, such as memory loss or concentration decline, can be seen as simple aging, but they may also be important warning signals from our body. In this column, we closely examine the causes of frequent forgetfulness from a Korean medicine perspective and present effective solutions.

💡 [Key Answer] The 3 most common causes of frequent forgetfulness: ① Brain fatigue and autonomic imbalance / ② Reduced brain blood circulation / ③ Gut-brain axis issues due to poor gut health Dalimchae Clinic restores the balance of the autonomic nervous system to create an environment where the brain can recover and activate itself, fundamentally treating cognitive decline.

Frequent forgetfulness can be divided into two main categories: general forgetfulness that doesn't significantly interfere with daily life, and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), which has the potential to progress to dementia due to cognitive decline. Forgetfulness is a phenomenon where information is stored but its retrieval is temporarily difficult, whereas MCI involves problems across overall cognitive domains such as language ability, visuospatial ability, executive function, and concentration, as well as memory, which are often noticed by the individual or those around them. Especially since a significant number of MCI patients can progress to dementia within a few years, early detection and management are very important.

Our brain is regulated by a sophisticated autonomic nervous system to always operate in an optimal state. The autonomic nervous system consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and when the balance between these two is broken, the brain becomes fatigued, like an overheated engine that cannot rest. Various factors of modern people, such as stress, irregular life, and lack of sleep, cause this autonomic imbalance, which interferes with the efficient function of the brain and becomes a key cause of cognitive decline. When brain fatigue accumulates, memory, concentration, and judgment generally drop, and the phenomenon of easily forgetting minor information appears. At Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch, we objectively diagnose such brain imbalances through autonomic nervous system tests and provide customized treatments to increase the brain's recovery power.

In Korean medicine, cognitive decline is not seen simply as a problem of the brain alone, but as an imbalance of systemic organ functions and problems with the autonomic nervous system. We emphasize treatment that restores the balance of the entire body. Recently, various clinical studies have revealed that Korean medicine treatment has a positive effect on improving cognitive function.

A large-scale retrospective cohort study published in the journal 「Frontiers in Neurology」 in 2025 reported the results of combining herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment for 2,242 elderly people experiencing Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in Korea. This study was based on public health project data conducted from 2021 to 2023, and the herbal medicine-acupuncture combination group showed significant improvement (coefficient 0.58; 95% CI, 0.10-1.08) in the CIST (Cognitive Impairment Screening Test) score, a cognitive function assessment tool. The researchers concluded that this integrated Korean medicine treatment approach could have effectiveness and public health value in MCI management.

Another study, a retrospective observational study published in 「Frontiers in Neurology」 in 2024, applied herbal medicine, acupuncture, and pharmacopuncture treatment to 19 elderly people with MCI for 6 months, and showed a significant increase (F(2,32) = 10.59, p < 0.0001) in the MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) total score. In addition, changes in prefrontal cortex activity during cognitive tasks (significant decrease in deoxygenated hemoglobin beta coefficients) were observed, suggesting a positive effect on brain function activation. The researchers suggested that this program could enhance the cognitive function of MCI patients. Based on this data, Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch focuses on strengthening brain function and restoring autonomic balance through individualized herbal prescriptions, acupuncture, and pharmacopuncture by analyzing the causes of cognitive decline from various angles. This aims to create a fundamental environment where the brain can work healthily again, beyond simple symptom relief.

Dalimchae Clinic focuses on the core principle that "when the balance of the autonomic nervous system is broken, the brain cannot rest." Chronic stress, overwork, and irregular lifestyle habits excessively excite the autonomic nervous system, causing the sympathetic nervous system to become hyperactive, which leads to an overload of the brain's nervous system. Just as a car engine continues to overheat, brain function also gradually declines. At Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch, we focus on treatment aimed at restoring autonomic balance. This is a process of lowering the heat of the brain's nervous system, stabilizing the excessively activated sympathetic nervous system, and creating an environment where the brain can comfortably rest and recover. In Korean medicine, this is sometimes explained with the concept of 'Suseunghwagang (水昇火降)', which means keeping the head cool and the lower abdomen warm to facilitate the smooth circulation of energy throughout the body. Through this, we help recover overall cognitive function by relieving brain fatigue, balancing neurotransmitters, and improving brain blood flow. Such treatment is effective not only for memory loss and concentration problems experienced by many people looking for a Songdo cognitive function clinic, but also for improving associated diseases such as headaches, dizziness, and insomnia.

Check the following items and count how many apply to you.

• 1. I feel difficulty in learning new information.
• 2. It's frequent that conversations are interrupted because names of people or words don't come to mind well.
• 3. I often forget appointment dates or important tasks.
• 4. It takes a long time to find things because I don't remember where I put them.
• 5. I have difficulty planning or performing complex tasks I used to do well.
• 6. I experience wandering or getting lost in familiar places.
• 7. It's hard to read a book or watch TV because concentration has dropped.
• 8. Calculation errors become frequent or number concepts become confusing.
• 9. I hear that I have become more impulsive or have more difficulty controlling emotions than before.
• 10. I feel that I need help from others in daily life.

Judgment Criteria:

• 3 or fewer apply: Simple forgetfulness or brain fatigue suspected. Sufficient rest and stress management are needed.
• 4-6 apply: Early suspicion of Mild Cognitive Impairment. Consider precise testing and Korean medicine management at Songdo Autonomic Nervous System Clinic.
• 7 or more apply: Immediate precise testing and active treatment are needed. Consultation with the medical staff of Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch is recommended.

Q. Is cognitive decline a natural phenomenon as you age? A. Of course, brain function may decline somewhat as you age, but cognitive decline at a level that causes rapid memory loss or interferes with daily life is difficult to see as simple aging. This may be a warning light for the brain, and if managed early, it can be sufficiently improved and its progress delayed.

Q. Does herbal medicine treatment also help in improving cognitive function? A. Yes, herbal medicine can help improve cognitive function by regulating brain function and restoring autonomic balance. Especially through various mechanisms such as improving brain blood flow, protecting nerve cells, and inhibiting inflammation, it contributes to improving memory and concentration, and its effects are being proven through various clinical studies.

Q. What can be done in daily life to prevent dementia? A. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and sufficient sleep are basic, and it's good to consistently engage in activities that activate the brain, such as reading or learning. Also, stress management and participation in social activities are important for maintaining cognitive function. However, if there is a fundamental problem, it is important to seek professional help such as a Songdo clinic.

Q. I have headaches or insomnia along with the symptom of frequent forgetfulness, can they be treated together? A. Yes, cognitive decline, headaches, and insomnia are often closely related to autonomic imbalance and brain function decline. At Dalimchae Clinic, we can improve these symptoms together through integrated treatment aimed at autonomic stabilization.

Frequent forgetfulness is not a problem that can be solved by enduring. You no longer have to ignore the signals your body has been sending for a long time. If you approach in the right direction, the body responds faster than you think. Bring your symptoms exactly as they are. At Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch, we will find the cause together and help you regain brain health and vitality.

Where life blooms. For herbal medicine, it's Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check your symptoms similar to mine through the AI consultation on the Dalimchae Clinic website first!

This article is health information compiled by Dalimchae medical staff based on questions frequently received in the treatment room. Medical Supervision | Brain/Autonomic Treatment Standards Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch Korean Medicine Doctor Oh Hyunmin (Cognitive Decline Column)