Short- and long-term memory loss: Causes, symptoms, and more – Medical News Today

Short-term memory refers to the brain systems involved in storing information for a short period, usually up to around 30 seconds. Short-term memory can typically hold around seven pieces of information at a time.

Many events and memories compete for attention in the brain, and the brain does not store all of them. However, long-term memory refers to brain systems involved in storing events for a long time.

Almost any condition that causes brain damage or interferes with brain function or chemistry has the potential to cause short-term or long-term memory loss, or both.

Possible causes of memory loss include the following:

Aging can cause brain changes that may affect both short-term and long-term memory. Short-term memory problems may present as difficulty learning new information. Long-term memory problems may present as difficulty retrieving previously learned information or memories.

Age-related memory problems are typically mild or temporary. Serious memory problems may be a sign of an underlying condition, such as dementia.

Scientists generally agree that sleep is important for memory consolidation. This is the process of preserving key memories and discarding excessive or irrelevant information. As such, getting an insufficient amount of sleep each night can interfere with short-term memory. Unless a person has an underlying sleep problem, these memory issues should resolve when people manage to improve their sleep schedule.

Some sleep problems that could increase the risk of memory problems include:

Drinking too much alcohol can impair short-term memory.

Excessive alcohol consumption over time can cause permanent brain changes that impact both short- and long-term memory.

Some recreational drugs can interfere with brain chemistry, triggering short-term memory impairments. Examples include cannabis and psychedelics.

Chronic drug use can cause irreversible long-term memory loss.

Many infections can affect the brain directly, causing cognitive changes, such as memory loss or delirium. These infections may be viral, bacterial, or fungal.

Some infections that can cause memory loss include:

In some cases, treating the underlying infection helps to resolve the memory loss.

Problems with vision or hearing can affect a persons ability to take in new information and make new memories.

Short-term memory problems often resolve once a person begins wearing devices to correct or compensate for their vision or hearing loss.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is any injury that affects brain function. A TBI has the potential to cause short-term or long-term memory problems, depending on the severity of the injury and the regions of the brain involved.

A concussion is a mild TBI that can impair short-term memory or affect a persons ability to recall information from long-term memory. Concussion-induced memory problems typically last less than 24 hours.

Severe or penetrating injuries can cause memory loss lasting longer than 7 days. If the brain damage is permanent, the memory loss may also be permanent.

Neurodegenerative conditions cause progressive damage to cells in the brain and nervous system. This damage may eventually lead to irreversible memory loss.

The most common neurodegenerative conditions associated with memory loss are Alzheimers disease (AD) and Parkinsons disease (PD).

Short-term memory loss is a common sign of AD, especially during the earlier stages of the disease. As AD progresses and becomes more severe, the condition may also begin to impact long-term memory. AD usually affects episodic memory, which involves events, rather than procedural memory, which helps people remember skills.

People with PD can develop memory problems a year or more following their initial diagnosis.

Learn more about Alzheimers and dementia here and Parkinsons disease here

Endocrine conditions are those that affect the endocrine system. This system is composed of a network of glands that produce and secrete hormones to enable or support bodily functions.

Conditions that affect the endocrine system can interfere with brain functioning and may cause memory problems. Examples include:

Memory loss and other cognitive impairments can sometimes occur as a result of chronic cardiovascular conditions, such as high blood pressure or hypertension and high cholesterol. These conditions can impair blood flow to the brain and can damage blood vessels in the brain itself. This damage can lead to a condition called vascular dementia.

Hypertension and high cholesterol also increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, both of which may cause memory problems by depriving brain cells of the oxygen they need to function. Without oxygen, the brain cells will die. Depending on the location and extent of brain cell death, a person may have lasting memory problems.

Bleeding in the brain can starve brain cells of the oxygen they need to function. Depending on the areas of the brain involved, this may result in short-term or long-term memory problems.

If a person receives prompt treatment for a brain bleed, they may be able to recover their memory function. However, severe damage to the brain may result in permanent memory loss.

Abnormal brain growths, such as brain cysts and tumors, can interrupt blood flow to areas of the brain involved in memory. These areas include the outer part of the brain or cortex as well as deep brain regions such as the hippocampus.

Memory problems may resolve following surgery to remove the abnormal brain growth or after taking medication to shrink the growth. In some cases, a person may experience permanent brain damage and memory loss.

Hydrocephalus is the medical term for an accumulation of fluid in the brain. Fluid accumulation can put pressure on brain structures, which can disrupt the flow of blood and oxygen to brain cells. This, in turn, can cause problems with short-term memory.

Hydrocephalus-induced dementia may resolve after the removal of excess fluid from the brain.

Seizures interfere with the brains ability to monitor itself, which is critical for memory. This interference can happen at any of the following stages:

Epilepsy medications can reduce the frequency and severity of seizures, making a person less likely to experience memory problems. However, some epilepsy medications can slow down the speed of information processing in the brain, which can affect memory function.

Conditions that cause chronic pain can also cause brain fog, which a person may experience as:

Chronic pain conditions that can cause brain fog include:

Brain fog typically resolves following treatment or management of the underlying chronic pain condition.

Mental health conditions can change brain chemistry and functioning, and have the potential to cause short-term and long-term memory problems. Examples of such conditions include:

Memory problems associated with mental health conditions typically resolve following successful treatment of the underlying condition.

A deficiency in any of the following vitamins can cause changes to memory and cognition:

Memory problems typically resolve once a person addresses the deficiency through diet or supplements.

Some medications interfere with brain functioning and may trigger temporary memory problems. Examples include:

More:
Short- and long-term memory loss: Causes, symptoms, and more - Medical News Today