Symptoms of Short Term, Mild Memory Loss

Memory loss can fall into two categories. It can either be short-term or long-term memory loss. Short-term memory loss, no matter how it is caused or brought on, includes memories that stem from the area of the brain that handles working memory. It is generally coined as anterograde amnesia. Short-term memory typically includes, perhaps, what one ate for lunch that day, the recollection of a work meeting, or acquisition of new physical skills.

Short-term memory loss occurs when there has been damage to the hippocampus (the part of the brain that controls memory recollection) or nerves of the brain, either by swelling or a traumatic event and injury. Short-term memory loss can also be a body’s way of emotionally detaching from a serious, life-changing event. For example, anterograde amnesia can occur after a car accident, rape, or death of a loved one. When someone begins to lose their short-term memory, it can be either sudden or progressive. If someone you know is suffering from the symptoms of short-term memory loss, it is highly recommended that medical attention be sought to prevent long-term damage to the brain, or to diagnose a larger issue.

Short-term memory loss may appear at first as simple forgetfulness–you can’t recall what you had for breakfast, or you forgot the new person’s name at work. But when it becomes a daily occurrence, that is need for concern, and one should definitely bring the issue to their doctor’s attention. Short-term memory loss, especially memory loss that is more permanent and progressive, is nothing to be taken lightly.