Why You Can't Name Familiar Objects and What to Do

When Familiar Things Become Strangers: Reasons For Difficulty Remembering Object Names

You reach for a can of beans in the pantry but the name eludes you. Or you gesture at the furniture, grasping for the right word. Struggling to retrieve common words like table, phone, or keys is frustrating.

Difficulty putting names to familiar items is known as anomia or lethologica. It's common with normal aging but also signals underlying health issues. Let's explore why this happens and when to seek help.

The Anatomy of Recalling Object Names

Naming everyday things involves elaborate brain circuitry. First, visual pathways identify the object's shape, color, and details. This information travels to the temporal lobe where specialized neurons code visual input into conceptual knowledge about the object.

Nearby language centers access your vocabulary bank and match the object concept to printed and spoken wordforms. Coordinating these systems enables speaking or writing the name.

This elaborate neural choreography fails when any part malfunctions. Visual problems, impaired object knowledge, and language deficits can all undermine naming ability.

Common Causes of Difficulty Naming Objects

Several factors explain why once automatic object naming becomes difficult:

• Normal aging - Gradual decline in recall ability and word retrieval is expected. By age 60, most experience occasional "tip of the tongue" moments.
• Fatigue - Mental exhaustion from lack of quality sleep strains the attention needed for naming objects accurately.
• Stress - High cortisol and adrenaline levels interfere with memory and verbal fluency.
• Depression - Low motivation and focus due to depression inhibits remembering common words.
• Menopause - Hormone changes during perimenopause and menopause can disrupt memory and thinking skills.
• Medications - Drugs with anticholinergic effects like benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants impair cognition.
• Thyroid disorders - Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cloud thinking and word recall.

In most middle-aged and older adults, anomia results from these commonplace causes. The forgetfulness tends to be sporadic and manageable. But worsening naming difficulties may indicate other conditions requiring medical evaluation.

When Anomia Signals Underlying Illness

Progressive trouble putting names to familiar objects can stem from several medical conditions:

• Mild cognitive impairment - More severe than typical age-related decline, this disorder is a potential Alzheimer's precursor.
• Alzheimer's disease - Impaired word retrieval is an early warning sign as this dementia slowly damages brain cells.
• Parkinson's disease - Loss of dopamine-producing neurons also harms thinking and memory skills.
• Stroke - Brain damage from stroke, even a "silent" stroke, can impair object naming.
• Brain tumor - Tumor growth in language centers may initially cause subtle naming issues.
• Multiple sclerosis - Demyelination of nerve fibers interrupts messages between brain regions for recall.
• Seizures - Electrical disturbances from epilepsy can impair cognition, including word-finding.

Uncorrected vision or hearing loss can also hamper input needed for proper object identification and naming. Monitoring your symptom patterns is key to determining when further evaluation is warranted.

Coping Strategies For Anomia Episodes

When struggling to name ordinary items, these tips can help work around word-finding difficulties:

• Describe the item's use, properties, or other associations until the name surfaces.
• Draw or visualize the object in your mind to trigger the word.
• Repeat the first letter out loud to cue your memory.
• Try an alternate word with similar meaning, like "couch" instead of "sofa."
• Point or gesture at the object while concentrating on its name.

Being well-rested, minimizing stress, and allowing more time for responses can also help compensate for age-related declines in recall ability.

When to See a Doctor

Schedule an evaluation if you experience:

• Progressive worsening of naming difficulties over weeks or months
• Anomia episodes becoming more frequent or severe
• New speech or language deficits like slurring or poor comprehension
• Visually misidentifying everyday objects and people
• Significant memory lapses beyond just forgotten names
• Confusion, disorientation, or unsteadiness accompanying anomia

Sudden onset naming problems after an injury or head trauma also warrant prompt medical attention to determine if a concussion or bleed occurred.

Diagnosing Underlying Causes of Anomia

If anomia appears related to an underlying condition, your doctor may recommend:

• Medical history - Looking for patterns like gradual decline, stroke risk factors, head injuries, or family dementia.
• Neurological exam - Assessing senses, reflexes, balance, coordination, concentration, and memory.
• Mini-mental status tests - Evaluating overall thinking, problem solving, and language abilities.
• Brain imaging - CT or MRI scans check for stroke, tumors, shrinkage, or asymmetric changes.
• Cognitive testing - Formal neuropsychological tests objectively measure naming skills and verbal memory.
• Blood tests - Testing blood glucose, vitamins, thyroid, and other laboratories levels that influence cognition.

Your doctor can pinpoint whether unhealthy lifestyle factors, medications, mental health issues, or specific disorders underlie your naming difficulties.

Medical Treatments for Anomia

Treatment targets any diagnosed conditions contributing to word-finding struggles. Approaches may include:

• Treating thyroid disorders - Restoring normal thyroid hormone levels can improve cognition.
• Adjusting medications - Stopping or reducing drugs with anticholinergic effects like benzodiazepines may lessen naming deficits.
• Controlling seizures - Reducing seizure activity with medication can help stabilize thinking and memory.
• Managing stroke risk factors - Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol helps prevent silent strokes affecting recall.
• Treating depression - Antidepressants and psychotherapy can improve motivation, attention, and thinking.
• Alzheimers medications - Drugs like cholinesterase inhibitors may temporarily improve cognition and function in Alzheimer's dementia.

Cognitive rehabilitation therapy can also teach compensatory naming strategies. But therapy cannot restore lost cognitive abilities once nerve cells are damaged by stroke or dementia.

Non-Medical Interventions

Lifestyle measures to reduce anomia episodes include:

• Eating a Mediterranean style diet high in omega-3s, vegetables, and antioxidants.
• Exercising regularly to improve blood flow and neurotransmitters.
• Practicing stress management through yoga, meditation, or counseling.
• Getting at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep nightly.
• Staying cognitively active with puzzles, games, and new hobbies that build connections between brain regions.
• Avoiding smoking, excess alcohol, and recreational drug use.

Enriching environments and social interactions also help keep the brain fit and engaged.

At-Home Strategies to Improve Object Naming

Daily practice with naming can help strengthen neural connections and vocabulary recall. Try these exercises:

• Name common objects around your home out loud or in writing.
• Describe objects in detail, noting color, shape, material, and purpose.
• Play naming games like charades or pictionary with family and friends.
• Read books, do crosswords, and engage in activities involving vocabulary.
• Label household objects with sticky notes to reinforce their names.
• Learn the names of new objects like modern gadgets or rarely used tools.

Activities that involve all the senses like baking, gardening, or woodworking also engage more areas of the brain responsible for object recognition and naming.

When to See a Speech Therapist

See a speech therapist or pathologist if you experience:

• Ongoing struggles with basic naming and word retrieval
• Difficulty following conversations or communicating thoughts
• Impaired comprehension or reading ability
• Slurred, hesitant, or dysfluent speech

A certified speech therapist can administer standardized language tests to identify speech and comprehension deficits. They can tailor naming exercises and communication strategies to your individual weaknesses to maximize everyday function.

Assistive Technology for Anomia

For moderate to severe word retrieval deficits, assistive devices can compensate and reduce disability. Options include:

• Personal amplification systems - Microphones and headphones enhance word understanding.
• Smartphone apps - Apps provide pictures of objects or audible naming prompts.
• Voice recognition software - Allows "speaking" through a device to enhance communication.
• Picture boards - Keychain fobs or boards with photos of everyday items can aid naming.

Occupational therapists can recommend appropriate assistive devices and training in their optimal use to maximize independence.

Coping With Anomia and Aging

Mild difficulty recalling words is common with normal cognitive aging. But worsening anomia that impacts daily communication should be evaluated. Staying mentally and socially active are key to maintaining vocabulary recall.

Coping strategies like descriptions, memory tricks, and prompts can help work around age-related naming issues. Medical treatment of underlying causes along with speech therapy and technology devices can aid more severe cases.

While anomia can be isolating and frustrating, simple lifestyle measures and cognitive exercises can help preserve your ability to smoothly access familiar names as you age.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.