Memory loss
Forgetfulness; Amnesia; Impaired memory; Loss of memory; Amnestic syndrome; Dementia - memory loss; Mild cognitive impairment - memory lossMemory loss is unusual forgetfulness. You may not be able to remember new events, recall one or more memories of the past, or both.
The memory loss may be for a short time and then resolve (transient). Or, it may not go away, and, depending on the cause, it can get worse over time.
In severe cases, such memory impairment may interfere with daily living activities.
Causes
Normal aging can cause some forgetfulness. It is normal to have some trouble learning new material or needing more time to remember it. But normal aging does not lead to dramatic memory loss. Such memory loss is due to other diseases.
Memory loss can be caused by many things. To determine a cause, your health care provider will ask if the problem came on suddenly or slowly.
Many areas of the brain help you create and retrieve memories. A problem in any of these areas can lead to memory loss.
Memory loss may result from a new injury to the brain, which is caused by or is present after:
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Brain tumor
Brain tumor
A primary brain tumor is a group (mass) of abnormal cells that start in the brain.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Cancer treatment, such as brain radiation, bone marrow transplant, or chemotherapy
Brain radiation
Radiation therapy uses high-powered radiation (such as x-rays or gamma rays), particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleBone marrow transplant
A bone marrow transplant is a procedure to replace damaged or diseased bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. Bone marrow is the soft, fatt...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleChemotherapy
The term chemotherapy is used to describe cancer-killing drugs. Chemotherapy may be used to:Cure the cancerShrink the cancerPrevent the cancer from ...
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Concussion or head trauma
Concussion
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur when the head hits an object, or a moving object strikes the head. There are three types of TBI:Mild TBI, a...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Not enough oxygen getting to the brain when your heart or breathing is stopped for too long
- Severe brain infection or infection around the brain
Brain infection
Encephalitis is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the brain, most often due to infections.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleInfection around the brain
Meningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This covering is called the meninges.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Major surgery or severe illness, including brain surgery
- Sudden, temporary loss of memory (transient global amnesia) of unclear cause
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Transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke
Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops for a brief time. A person will have stroke-like symptoms for ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleStroke
A stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack. " If blood flow is cut off for longer th...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Fluid collection in the brain (hydrocephalus)
Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus is a buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to the brain pushing against the skull. Hydrocephalus means "water on the brain. "...
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Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).
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Dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. It affects one or more brain functions such as memory, thinking, language, j...
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Sometimes, memory loss occurs with mental health problems, such as:
- After a major, traumatic or stressful event
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Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is a mental condition in which a person has wide or extreme swings in their mood. Periods of feeling sad and depressed may alternat...
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Depression or other mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia
Depression
Depression is feeling sad, blue, unhappy, or down in the dumps. Most people feel this way once in a while. Major depression is a mood disorder. It...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleSchizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that makes it hard to tell the difference between what is real and not real. It also makes it hard to think clearl...
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Memory loss may be a sign of dementia. Dementia also affects thinking, language, judgment, and behavior. Common types of dementia associated with memory loss are:
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Alzheimer disease
Alzheimer disease
Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. It affects memo...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Vascular dementia
- Lewy body dementia
- Fronto-temporal dementia
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Progressive supranuclear palsy
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a movement disorder that occurs from damage to certain nerve cells in the brain.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Normal pressure hydrocephalus
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Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a form of brain damage that leads to a rapid decrease in movement and loss of mental function.
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Other causes of memory loss include:
- Alcohol or use of prescription or illegal drugs
- Brain infections such as Lyme disease, syphilis, or HIV/AIDS
Lyme disease
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread through the bite of one of several types of ticks.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleSyphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is most often spread through sexual contact.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). When a person becomes infected with HIV, the ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Overuse of medicines, such as barbiturates, opioids or hypnotics
Hypnotics
Some people may need medicines to help with sleep for a short period of time. But in the long run, making changes in your lifestyle and sleep habits...
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Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) most often causes short-term memory loss
Electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) uses an electric current to treat depression and some other mental illnesses.
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Epilepsy that is not well controlled
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which a person has repeated seizures over time. Seizures are episodes of uncontrolled and abnormal electrical activi...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Illness that results in the loss of, or damage to brain tissue or nerve cells, such as Parkinson disease, Huntington disease, or multiple sclerosis
Parkinson disease
Parkinson disease results from certain brain cells dying. These cells help control movement and coordination. The disease leads to shaking (tremors...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHuntington disease
Huntington disease (HD) is a genetic disorder in which nerve cells in certain parts of the brain waste away, or degenerate. The disease is passed do...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Low levels of important nutrients or vitamins, such as low vitamin B1 or B12
B12
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. After the body uses what it needs of these vitamins, leftover amo...
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Home Care
A person with memory loss needs a lot of support.
- It helps to show the person familiar objects, music, or and photos or play familiar music.
- It is important to write down when the person should take any medicine or do other critical tasks.
- If a person needs help with everyday tasks, or if safety or nutrition is a concern, you may want to consider extended-care facilities, such as a nursing home.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask about the person's medical history and symptoms. This will usually include asking questions of family members and friends. For this reason, they may be interviewed in-person or by phone.
Medical history questions may include:
- Type of memory loss, such as short-term or long-term
- Time pattern, such as how long the memory loss has lasted or whether it comes and goes
- Things that triggered memory loss, such as head injury or surgery
Tests that may be done include:
- Blood tests for specific diseases that are suspected (such as low vitamin B12 or thyroid disease)
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Cerebral angiography
Cerebral angiography
Cerebral angiography is a procedure that uses a special dye (contrast material) and x-rays to see how blood flows through the brain.
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Cognitive tests (neuropsychological/psychometric tests)
Cognitive tests
Mental status testing is done to check a person's thinking ability and to determine if any problems are getting better or worse. It is also called n...
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CT scan or MRI of the head
CT scan
A head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleMRI of the head
A head MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the brain and surrounding...
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Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Electroencephalogram
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test to measure the electrical activity of the brain.
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Lumbar puncture
Lumbar puncture
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection is a test to look at the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. CSF acts as a cushion, protecting the b...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
- Genetic tests
Treatment depends on the cause of memory loss. Your provider can tell you more.
References
Kirshner HS, Gifford KA. Intellectual and memory impairments. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 7.
Oyebode F. Disturbance of memory. In: Oyebode F, ed. Sims' Symptoms in the Mind: Textbook of Descriptive Psychopathology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 5.
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Central nervous system and peripheral nervous system - illustration
The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system includes nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.
Central nervous system and peripheral nervous system
illustration
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Brain - illustration
The major areas of the brain have one or more specific functions.
Brain
illustration
-
Central nervous system and peripheral nervous system - illustration
The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system includes nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.
Central nervous system and peripheral nervous system
illustration
-
Brain - illustration
The major areas of the brain have one or more specific functions.
Brain
illustration
Review Date: 12/31/2023
Reviewed By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.