It's Not Always Alzheimer's: What Causes Memory Loss 09/07/2020, 02:18

BRAIN HEALTH

The Different Causes of Memory Loss

By Esther Heerema, MSW Medically reviewed by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, FAAN on April 10, 2020

Lena Mirisola/Getty Images

In This Article
Emotional Causes
​Drugs and Medical Treatments
More in Brain Physical and Medical Conditions
Cognitive Causes
Health Other Forms of Dementia
Brain Food
Most of us have, either occasionally or more frequently, had the unpleasant
Mental Exercises
experience of forgetting something. These episodes of memory loss can
Healthy Aging cause irritation and frustration, as well as a fear that we're "losing it" and
beginning to develop Alzheimer's disease.

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While Alzheimer's and other kinds of dementia are responsible for many
cases of memory loss, the good news is that there are other, non-
permanent factors that can also cause memory loss. [1]​ Better yet, some of
them are easily reversed.

So, what causes us to forget? What prevents us from mentally storing that
piece of information or being able to recall it? Here are some of the many
reasons we can't remember.

Emotional Causes of Memory Loss

Because our mind and body are connected and aVect each other, our
emotions and thoughts can impact our brain. The energy it takes to cope
with certain feelings or life stress can get in the way of storing or
remembering details and schedules.

Often, these emotional triggers of memory loss can be improved by

support, counseling, and lifestyle changes. Even just being aware of—and
limiting exposure to—things that increase stress can help.

Stress
Too much stress can overload our minds and cause distraction and brain
drain.​ Short-term, acute stress can trigger a momentary memory problem,
while chronic, long-term exposure to stress may increase your risk of
dementia. Stress management is an important strategy for maintaining
quality of life and improving the health of your body and your brain. [2]​

Depression
Depression can blunt the mind and cause such disinterest in your
surroundings that memory, concentration, and awareness suVer. Your
mind and emotions may be so weighed down that you are just not able to
pay much attention to what's happening.

Consequently, recalling something that you weren't paying attention to is

diZcult. Depression can also cause problems with healthy sleep, which can
make it more diZcult to remember information. [3]​

Pseudodementia is a term that describes the combination of memory

loss and depression. If you think you're experiencing pseudodementia,
cognitive testing can be helpful in reassuring you and ruling out true
dementia.

Despite feeling "out of it" in daily life, the person with pseudodementia
will be able to perform quite well on cognitive tests. Depression is usually
highly treatable. Often, a combination of counseling and medication can be
very eVective.

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Anxiety​
If you've ever blanked out when taking a test, even though you knew the
answers, you can blame anxiety. Some people have anxiety in certain
situations, like this test-taking example. Others have a more
pervasive generalized anxiety disorder that continually interferes with
healthy functioning, including memory. [4]​ Identifying and treating anxiety
can signi^cantly improve quality of life, and possibly memory, as well.

Grief​
Grieving requires a high amount of physical and emotional energy, and this
can reduce our ability to focus on events and people around us.
Consequently, our memory can suVer. [5]​ Grief can be similar to depression,
but it's often triggered by a speci^c situation or acute loss, while
depression may seem to be without a speci^c cause.

Deep grief takes time to process, and it's appropriate and necessary to
spend time in your grief. You can expect to feel drained—both physically
and mentally—when you're going through grief. Give yourself extra time
and grace while you're grieving. Individual counseling and support groups
can help you to eVectively cope with grief.

​Drugs and Medical Treatments

Sometimes memory lapses can be attributed to medications or other
substances. These can include prescription drugs, other mind-altering
substances, and even surgeries.

Alcohol or Illicit Drugs

Drinking alcohol or using illicit drugs can impair your memory, both in
the short term and long term. From blackouts to an increased risk
of dementia years later, these substances can signi^cantly harm your
memory, among many other things. Too much alcohol can also cause
Wernicke-KorsakoV syndrome, which if treated immediately, may be able
to be partially reversed in some people. [6]​

Prescription Medications​
Just because a medication is legally prescribed by a physician doesn't mean
it can't hurt your body or impair your memory. [1]​ You may be taking the
medication exactly as ordered by the doctor, but prescription medicines
(especially when taken in combination) can signi^cantly aVect your ability
to think and remember clearly.

If you go to diVerent doctors for multiple conditions, make sure each one
has your complete list of medications. They need to know so they don't
order a medication that could interact with the one you're already taking.

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Ask your physician if any of your medications can be slowly reduced to

eliminate this cause of forgetfulness.

Chemotherapy
If you're receiving chemotherapy as a treatment for cancer, you might
experience "chemo brain," described as brain fog from the medicines
targeting your cancer. [7]​ Knowing that this is a common and often
temporary eVect from chemotherapy can be reassuring.

Heart Surgery
Some research has indicated that following bypass surgery on the heart,
there may be an increased risk of confusion and memory impairment. This
may improve as you recover, and typically the need for this type of heart
surgery is greater than the possible risk. [8]​ Be sure to discuss your
concerns with your physician.

Anesthesia
Some people report memory loss or confusion, typically lasting for a few
days, following the use of anesthesia. Research, however, has been unclear
in determining if there's a direct correlation between the anesthesia or if
other factors may be causing the brain to function less eVectively. [9]​

Electroconvulsive Therapy
Sometimes referred to as "shock" therapy, ECT can be very helpful for
those suVering from severe depression, but it may also cause some
memory loss. You should talk with your physician about the risks and
bene^ts of ECT. [10]​ Because it has been eVective for some people, the risk
of some memory loss may be worth it for your quality of life.

Physical and Medical Conditions

Other conditions aside from dementia or Alzheimer's disease can lead to
memory loss or memory problems.

Fatigue and Sleep Deprivation

The bene^ts of getting a good night's sleep are many: Less weight gain,
more energy, and the ability to think more clearly. Being tired because you
didn't sleep well last night and being chronically short on sleep both have
been shown to aVect memory and learning. [11]​ It's worth trying some easy
ways to improve your sleep habits.

Concussions and Head Injuries

Concussions and traumatic head injuries can cause short-term memory

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It's Not Always Alzheimer's: What Causes Memory Loss 09/07/2020, 02:18

impairment, but some research has found that they can also increase the
likelihood for the development of dementia over the years. [12]​

Be sure to take steps like wearing protective headgear and helmets when
playing sports. And, if you do sustain a concussion, it's important to let
your head fully heal before returning to regular activities and participating
in sports. [13]​ Discuss any headaches and concentration diZculties after a
head injury with your doctor.

Low Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is a very important vitamin. In more extreme cases, de^cits in
vitamin B12 have caused symptoms that have been mistaken for dementia.
Upon receiving adequate vitamin B12, those symptoms may improve and
even resolve in some people. [14]​

Thyroid Problems
Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cause cognitive problems
such as memory loss and mental fog. If you're noticing brain sluggishness
or that it's more diZcult to remember things, mention this to your doctor.
It may be appropriate to test your thyroid functioning, especially if you're
experiencing other symptoms of thyroid issues. [15]​ Treating thyroid
problems could improve your memory and concentration.

Kidney Disorders​
When your kidneys aren't working well, such as in chronic or acute
kidney failure (also called renal failure), the accumulation of waste
products, such as the breakdown of proteins, can aVect brain function.
[16]
​ In addition, studies published in 2017 have shown that those with
albuminuria (the presence of albumin protein in the urine) are more likely
to display impaired memory and cognition.

Liver Disorders
​Liver diseases, such as hepatitis, can cause toxins to be released into your
bloodstream, which can then aVect brain functioning. [17]​ Hepatic
encephalopathy is a related brain disorder that can develop from serious
liver problems. If you have liver problems and notice some diZculty with
memory and thinking, be sure to report this to your physician for prompt
diagnosis and treatment.

Encephalitis
This acute infection of brain tissue may trigger symptoms of
dementia, such as confusion and memory problems, along with a fever,
headaches and even seizures. [18]​ If you suspect encephalitis, seek
emergency medical treatment.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

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Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) typically has symptoms in these

three areas: cognitive problems, incontinence, and a decline in balance and
walking. [19]​ Prompt evaluation and treatment by a physician have the
potential to reverse the problems with memory and thinking in NPH, as
well as help with regaining the ability to be continent and to walk well.

Pregnancy
Sometimes, the changes in the body's chemicals and hormones, combined
with the emotional and physical changes in pregnancy, can contribute to
forgetfulness and poor concentration. [20]​ Fortunately, this is a temporary
condition that resolves in due time.

Menopause
Similar to pregnancy, the hormonal changes in menopause can bring chaos
to thought processes and disturb sleep, which also impacts your cognitive
processes. Some physicians prescribe hormonal supplements or other
treatments to relieve the temporary symptoms of menopause. [21]​

Infections
Infections, such as pneumonia or urinary tract infections, can cause
forgetfulness, especially in older adults and others with chronic health
conditions. [22]​ For some people, delirium—a sudden change in mental
ability—is one of the only outward signs of an infection, so be sure to
report these symptoms to the physician right away. Prompt treatment can
often help restore memory to its normal functioning.

Strokes
Strokes can signi^cantly aVect brain functioning. Sometimes, the memory
loss related to a stroke is permanent, but other times the cognitive
functioning improves as the brain recovers. [23]​

Transient Ischemic Attacks

A TIA, also known as a "little stroke" (although that isn't completely
accurate medically), is a brief blockage in the brain that can cause lapses in
memory, along with other stroke-like symptoms. [24]​ Symptoms usually
resolve on their own, but treatment is important to prevent future strokes.

Brain Tumors
Brain tumors can cause headaches and physical problems, but they can also
aVect our memory and personality at times. Depending on the severity and
type of tumor, treatment can often relieve these symptoms. [25]​

Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea, where you actually stop breathing for a few seconds while
you're sleeping, has been connected to a higher risk of dementia. A study

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published in 2018 also tied sleep apnea to memory problems, which is not
surprising given that sleep deprivation can cause forgetfulness and
diminished brain functioning. [26]​

Aging
As people age into older adulthood, cognitive processing generally slows
down, and memory ability may slightly decline. For example, a healthy
older person will still be able to memorize information, but it probably
won't be as easy as when they were a child or young adult.

Knowing the diVerence between normal aging and true memory

concerns can help you determine if you should visit the doctor or stop
The Different Causes
worrying aboutof
it.Memory Loss Share Flip Email

Cognitive Causes of Memory Loss

Sometimes, problems with how the brain functions can lead to memory
loss. These may be due to aging.

Distraction
​Thinking about too many things at once? Attempts to multi-task in order
to be eZcient can sometimes decrease eZciency because of the need to
repeat a task that was poorly completed or forgotten. Your brain has a limit
on what it can eVectively process simultaneously and remember. [27]​

Natural Memory Ability

Some people naturally just don't have a great memory. Maybe you've seen
the diVerence between one person who needs to spend three hours to
eVectively learn and remember material, and another who has it mastered
and can quickly recall it after taking only 20 minutes to page through it.

Mild Cognitive Impairment

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) consists of a decline in mental abilities
that develops gradually but generally doesn't change the person's ability to
function fairly well on a daily basis. One symptom of MCI is forgetfulness.

Sometimes, MCI responds to medications that are designed to treat

Alzheimer's. Some cases of MCI hold steady or even resolve completely,
while others progress into Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia.
[28]
​

Related: Strategies to Boost Cognitive Health and Fight Brain Aging

​Is It Alzheimer's or Another Kind of

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Dementia?
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and causes
signi^cant memory loss, in addition to multiple other symptoms. If you
think your memory loss could be caused by Alzheimer's, review
the symptoms and make an appointment with your physician for an
assessment. Although Alzheimer's typically aVects those over the age of
65, early-onset Alzheimer's can occur in those as young as 40. [29]​

Memory loss can also be caused by other kinds of dementia, such

as vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and
several others. [30]​ Problems with memory should be discussed with your
doctor so that any reversible cause can be found and treated, or so that
treatment for Alzheimer's or dementia can begin as soon as possible if this
is the cause.

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