From having simple conversations to doing complex assignments at work or school, we all rely on short-term memory to get through the day. Unfortunately, many different factors can potentially contribute to short-term memory loss. Read on to find out what causes these memory problems, and the science behind some of the supplements, medical techniques, and other factors that are being explored for their potential effects on short-term memory!<\/p>\n
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Broadly speaking, \u201cmemory\u201d is the storing of information in your brain for later use. However, even though we often use just a single word to refer to this concept as a whole, there are actually many different specific types of memory<\/a>!<\/p>\n \u201cShort-term memory\u201d specifically refers to the storing of information for a short amount of time, in a state you can easily access.<\/strong> An example of this would be trying to remember a phone number you were just told and could not write down.<\/p>\n Unlike \u201clong-term memory,\u201d this type of short-term memory can be lost rapidly unless you actively try to memorize it.<\/strong> The act of trying to keep something in your memory, such as repeating the name of someone you just met over and over, is called \u201crehearsing<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n Short-term memory is very similar to \u201cworking memory,\u201d although the two have important differences.<\/strong> \u201cShort-term memory\u201d just deals with the temporary storing of information, while \u201cworking memory\u201d refers both to the short-term storage of information as well as active manipulation of that information.<\/p>\n For example, trying to remember a phone number until you have a chance to write it down would fall under short-term memory, whereas trying to remember a phone number while adding \u20181\u2019 to each number and then repeating it back would be an example of using working memory.<\/p>\n However, both types of memory are interrelated, and – in general – anything that affects working memory usually also affects short-term memory [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Together, short-term and working memory are also very distinct from the other major types of memory<\/a> such as \u201cautobiographical-\u201d, \u201csemantic-\u201d, and \u201clong-term\u201d memory – and so it makes sense to talk about them together.<\/p>\n Short-term memory loss involves frequently losing track of recent or ongoing events. Examples of this could include situations like forgetting where you left your keys, walking into a room and not remembering why you entered it, or forgetting the topic of conversation while talking to someone.<\/p>\n Of course, everyday examples like these happen to everyone once in a while, and are not cause for concern by themselves! However, if these kinds of things happen to you more frequently than usual, this might hint at a more serious underlying problem (such as \u201cbrain fog<\/a>,\u201d for example).<\/p>\n People who are suffering from short-term memory loss usually don\u2019t have problems remembering things from their childhood (i.e. \u201clong-term\u201d or \u201cautobiographical\u201d memory), or how to drive or ride a bike (\u201cprocedural\u201d memory). This is because these types of memories are kept separately in the brain, and only a very major health problem would be able to impair all of them at the same time. However, smaller or more subtle health issues can affect these memory systems individually – which is why short-term memory loss is usually specific only to this type of memory.<\/p>\n Statins<\/em>, a family of drugs that lower cholesterol<\/a> levels, have sometimes been associated with short-term memory<\/a> loss [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Two common recreational drugs, cannabis<\/a> and cocaine<\/a>, have also been reported to significantly impair attention and short-term memory in people who abuse them for \u201crecreational\u201d purposes [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The neurotransmitter acetylcholine<\/em><\/a> is particularly well-known for its role in memory. Scopolamine hydrobromide<\/em> – a drug that blocks acetylcholine – has been reported to produce dementia-like deficits in short-term memory, according to studies in both young and elderly people [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Additionally, a study involving 72 social drinkers, alcohol was reported to significantly impair working memory (specifically, by interfering with memory rehearsal) [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Benzodiazepines<\/em>, a class of drugs also commonly known as \u201ctranquilizers\u201d due to their sedative effects, have been reported to prevent the transfer of information from short-term memory to long-term memory [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n While depression<\/a> is primarily thought of as a mood disorder, it can also have significant cognitive symptoms as well.<\/p>\n For example, one study in 25 people with depression reported significant impairments in short-term memory and attention<\/a> in these patients [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Other psychiatric conditions – such as schizophrenia, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD – are also believed to often involve significant cognitive deficits as well.<\/p>\n For example, a series of studies in schizophrenia patients reported significant limitations in their short-term memory capacity [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Additionally, a study with 32 generalized anxiety<\/a> disorder patients and 34 panic disorder patients reported impairments in these patients\u2019 short-term memory and attention [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Studies in war veterans have reported associations between PTSD<\/a> and significant short-term memory loss [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n One study has also reported that patients with bipolar disorder often display significant impairments in short-term memory (likely due to lower cognitive processing speed and problems with attention in these patients) [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Alzheimer’s disease<\/a> is widely known to cause a variety of cognitive problems, including significant impairments in short-term memory [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Although Parkinson\u2019s disease is commonly considered a movement disorder, it is also associated with short-term memory loss – especially visual short-term memory [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Patients with fibromyalgia<\/em> often report suffering from deficits in working memory that effectively mimic the effects of being 20 years older. However, it is unclear whether this is due to problems in the brain itself, or whether this is because they are easily distracted due to their chronic pain<\/a> symptoms [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n One study in 531 patients with multiple sclerosis<\/a> reported a significant decrease in episodic and verbal short-term memory in this patient population [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Disturbances in <\/a>sleep<\/a> are also widely believed to have a significant impact on a person\u2019s short-term memory capacities. For example, one study in 21 people with REM-sleep behavior disorder<\/em> reported a significant decline in visual short-term memory in these patients [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Finally, Korsakoff\u2019s syndrome<\/em> is a chronic memory disorder typically caused by alcoholism or vitamin deficiencies. It also commonly involves impairments in several aspects of short-term memory [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n High blood pressure (hypertension<\/em>) has been reported to interfere with short-term memory, possibly by leading to irregularities in the brain\u2019s blood supply<\/a>. For example, one study in children aged 6 to 16 reported that those with higher blood pressure performed relatively worse on measures of short-term memory, attention, and concentration [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Similarly, a study of 20 adults with elevated blood pressure reported significant impairments in short-term memory and learning ability in these patients, compared to otherwise-healthy adults [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n People who have suffered from head injuries, such as athletes or military veterans, have often been reported to develop a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy<\/em> (CTE). One of the most common symptoms of CTE is significant short-term memory impairment [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n A study in 20 stroke patients reported a deficit in short-term memory involving hearing (auditory memory) in these patients, which could in turn significantly impair their ability to process language and music<\/a> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Additionally, another study in 25 adolescents with Lyme disease<\/a> reported that these patients often suffer from reduced short-term memory (visual and verbal), as well as a variety of other cognitive issues [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n When left untreated, the sexually-transmitted disease syphilis<\/em> can spread to the brain, where it can, in turn, cause dementia (a condition known as \u201cneurosyphilis<\/em>\u201d). This disease often results in significant impairments in short-term memory [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n<\/a>What Is Short-Term Memory Loss?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>What Causes Short-Term Memory Loss?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Drugs that May Contribute to Short-Term Memory Loss<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Psychological Conditions that May Involve Short-Term Memory Impairment<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Neurological Disorders that Can Cause Short-Term Memory Loss<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Other Health Conditions that May Cause Short-Term Memory Issues<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n