Its Not Always Alzheimers What Causes Memory Loss

It's Not Always Alzheimer's What Causes Memory Loss Brain Health Print The Different Causes of Memory Loss Sometimes, Our Memory Lapses Are Easily Remedied By Esther Heerema, MSW facebook twitter linkedin Esther Heerema, MSW, shares practical tips gained from working with hundreds of people whose lives are touched by Alzheimers disease and other kinds of dementia. Learn about our editorial policy Esther Heerema, MSW Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Claudia Chaves, MD on February 22, 2017 Claudia Chaves, MD, is board-certified in cerebrovascular disease and neurology with a subspecialty certification in vascular neurology. Learn about our Medical Review Board Claudia Chaves, MD Updated on October 16, 2019 Lena Mirisola/Getty Images More in Brain Health Brain Food Mental Exercises Healthy Aging In This Article Table of Contents Expand Emotional Causes Medications Procedures Conditions Cognitive  Causes Other Forms of Dementia View All Back To Top Most of us have, either occasionally or more frequently, had the unpleasant experience of forgetting something. These episodes of memory loss can cause irritation and frustration, as well as a fear that were losing it and beginning to develop Alzheimers disease. While Alzheimers  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.?? 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 cant remember. Emotional Causes Because our mind and body are connected and affect 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, lifestyle changes, and even just being aware ofâ€"and limiting exposure toâ€"things that increase stress. Stress Too much stress can overload our minds and cause distraction and brain drain.? While short-term, acute stress can trigger a momentary memory problem, 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.  ?? Depression Depression can blunt the mind and cause such disinterest in your surroundings that memory, concentration, and awareness suffer. Your mind and emotions may be so weighed down that you are just not able to pay much attention to whats happening. Consequently, recalling something that you werent paying attention to is difficult. Depression can also cause problems with healthy sleep, which can make it more difficult to remember information.??   Pseudodementia is a term that describes the combination of memory loss and  depression. If you think youre 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 effective. Anxiety? If youve ever completely blanked out when taking a test, even though you knew the information, you can blame anxiety. Some people have anxiety in certain situations, like this test-taking example, and others have a more pervasive  generalized anxiety disorder  that continually interferes with healthy functioning, including the ability to remember in day-to-day activities.?? Identifying and treating anxiety can significantly improve your quality of life, and possibly your 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 understandably suffer.?? Grief can be somewhat similar to depression, but its often triggered by a specific situation or acute loss of something or someone, while depression may seem to be without a specific cause. Deep grief takes time to process, and its appropriate and necessary to spend time in your grief. You can expect to feel drainedâ€"both physically and mentallyâ€"when youre going through grief. Give yourself extra time and grace while youre grieving. Individual counseling and support groups can help you to effectively cope with grief. ?Drugs and Medical Treatments Alcohol or Illicit Drugs Drinking alcohol or using illicit drugs can impair your memory, both in the  short-term  and  long-term.?? From blackouts on the same day to an increased risk of  dementia  years later, these substances can significantly  harm your memory, among many other things. Too much alcohol can also cause Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome,  which if treated immediately, may be able to be partially reversed in some people.?? Prescription Medications? Just because a medication is legally prescribed by a physician doesnt mean it cant hurt your body or impair your memory.?? You may be taking the medication exactly as ordered by the doctor, but if you combine too many drugs, prescription medicines can significantly affect your ability to think and remember clearly. If you go to different doctors for multiple conditions, make sure each one has your complete list of medications so they dont order a medication that could interact with the one youre already taking. Ask your physician if any of your medications can be slowly reduced to eliminate this cause of forgetfulness. Chemotherapy If youre receiving chemotherapy as a treatment for  cancer, you might experience chemo brain, described  as brain fog from the medicines targeting your cancer.?? Knowing that this is a common and often temporary effect from chemotherapy can be reassuring. Medical Procedures   Heart Surgery Some research has indicated that following bypass surgery on the heart, there may be an increased risk of some 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.?? 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 theres a direct correlation between the anesthesia or if other factors may be causing the brain to function less effectively according to a 2010 study.?? Electroconvulsive Therapy Sometimes referred to as shock therapy, ECT can be very helpful for those suffering from severe depression, but it may also cause some memory loss. You should talk with your physician about the risks and benefits of ECT.?? Because it has been effective for some people, the risk of some memory loss maybe worth it for your quality of life. Physical and Medical Conditions Fatigue  and Sleep Deprivation The benefits of getting a good nights sleep are many: less weight gain, more energy, and the ability to think more clearly. Being tired because you didnt sleep well last night and being chronically short on sleep both have been shown to affect memory and learning.?? Its worth trying some easy ways to improve your sleep habits. Concussions and  Head Injuries Concussions and traumatic head injuries can cause short-term memory impairment, but some research has found that they can also increase the likelihood for the development of dementia over the years.?? Be sure to take steps like wearing protective headgear and helmets when playing sports. And, if you do receive a concussion, its important to let your head fully heal before returning to regular activities and participating in sports.?? Discuss any headaches and concentration difficulties after a head injury with your doctor. Low Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 is a very important vitamin. In more extreme cases, deficits 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.?? Strategies to Boost Cognitive Health and Fight Brain Aging Thyroid  Problems Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cause cognitive problems such as memory loss and mental fog. If youre noticing brain sluggishness or that its more difficult to remember things, consider mentioning this to your doctor. It may be appropriate to test your thyroid functioning, especially if youre experiencing other symptoms of thyroid issues as well.?? Treating thyroid problems could improve your memory and concentration. Kidney  Disorders? When your kidneys arent 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 affect brain function.??  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 affect brain functioning.??  Hepatic encephalopathy is a related brain disorder that can develop from serious liver problems.?? If you have liver problems and notice some difficulty 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.?? If you suspect encephalitis, seek emergency medical treatment. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) typically has symptoms in these three areas: cognitive problems, incontinence and a decline in balance and walking.?? 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 your bodys chemicals and hormones, combined with the emotional and physical changes in pregnancy, can contribute to forgetfulness and poor concentration.?? Fortunately, this is a temporary condition that resolves in due time. Menopause Similar to pregnancy, the hormonal changes in menopause can bring chaos to your thought process and disturb your sleep, which also impacts your cognitive processes. Some physicians prescribe hormonal supplements or other treatments to relieve the temporary symptoms of menopause.?? Infections Infections, such as  pneumonia  or  urinary tract infections,  can cause forgetfulness, especially in older adults and others with chronic health conditions?? . For some people, deliriumâ€"a sudden change  in mental ability in a matter of hours or a couple of daysâ€"is one of the only outward signs of an infection, so be sure to report these symptoms to the physician right away. Prompt treatment, usually with an  antibiotic, can often help restore memory to its normal functioning. Strokes Strokes can significantly affect brain functioning. Sometimes, the memory loss related to a stroke is permanent, but other times the cognitive functioning improves as the brain recovers.?? Transient Ischemic Attacks TIAs, also known as little strokes (although that isnt completely accurate medically), is a brief blockage in the brain that can cause lapses in memory, along with other stroke-like symptoms.?? Brain Tumors Brain tumors can cause headaches and physical problems, but they can also affect our memory and personality at times. Depending on the severity and type of tumor, treatment can often relieve these symptoms.?? Sleep Apnea Sleep apnea, where you actually stop breathing for a few seconds while youre sleeping, has been connected to a higher risk of dementia. A study 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.??   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 wont be as easy as when he was a child or young adult.?? Knowing the difference between normal aging and true memory concerns can help you determine if you should visit the doctor or stop worrying about it. Cognitive  Causes of Memory Loss Distraction ?Thinking about too many things at once? Attempts to multi-task in order to be efficient can sometimes decrease efficiency because of the need to repeat a task that was poorly completed or forgotten. Your brain  has a limit on what it can effectively process simultaneously and remember.?? Natural  Memory  Ability Some people naturally  just dont have a great memory. Maybe youve seen the differences of one person who needs to spend three hours to effectively 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 doesnt change the persons ability to function fairly well on a daily basis. One symptom of MCI  is forgetfulness. MCI may respond to  medications that are designed to treat Alzheimers. Some cases of MCI hold steady or even resolve completely, while others progress into Alzheimers disease or other types of dementia.?? Is It Alzheimers or Another Kind of Dementia? Alzheimers disease is the most common cause of dementia and causes significant, not just inconvenient, memory loss, in addition to multiple other  symptoms.?? If you think your memory loss could be caused by Alzheimers, review the  symptoms  and make an appointment with your physician for an assessment. You can also try this online, at-home cognitive test that screens for dementia and bring the results with you to your doctors appointment. Keep in mind that, although Alzheimers typically affects those over the age of 65,  early-onset Alzheimers  can infrequently occur  in those as young as 40.?? Memory loss can  also be caused by other kinds of dementia, such as  vascular dementia,  Lewy body dementia,  frontotemporal dementia,  and several others.?? Any problems with memory should be discussed with your doctor so that a reversible cause can hopefully be found and treated, or so that treatment for Alzheimers or dementia can begin as soon as possible if this is the cause.