Short Term Memory Loss

Most of our knowledge about short term memory loss can be attributed to the use of this term in popular culture, and that exactly explains as to why so many myths about this concept are making the rounds of our society. Even though short term memory loss in elderly people is quite common, the prevalence of same in youth and children is also noteworthy. Owing to the fact that it is quite common in elderly, memory loss is often attributed to the process of aging. That, however, is a myth as the underlying factors with the tendency to cause sudden memory loss can be much more serious than this. Before we move on to the various attributes of short term memory loss, let's try to understand what it basically is and how it occurs.

Short Term Memory Loss

In clinical terminology, memory loss is defined as an abnormal degree of forgetfulness and/or inability to recall past events. It can be broadly categorized into two types - short term memory loss and long term memory loss. As its name suggests, short term memory loss is a condition typically characterized by the loss of ability to recollect recent events. In generic terms, this condition includes loss of ability to recollect simple things happening in the surrounding as well as loss of memory pertaining to a specific period of time. In what can be termed as one of the best example of loss of ability to recollect simple things the person tends to forget where he kept the keys of the car or finds it difficult to recollect whether he switched off the fan before moving out of the house or not. In case of loss of memory pertaining to a specific period, a person tends to forget the last 5 years of his life after meeting with an accident, but doesn't face any problems in recollecting things which happened before that.

Causes: Short term memory loss can be attributed to numerous things, ranging from a serious accident, which may result in brain injury, to some underlying serious ailment, which may directly affect the brain. Brain injury in any degree can hamper the functioning of the brain and result in memory loss for the individual. One of the most important psychological cause of loss of short term memory is trauma. With ever-increasing competition in the academic field, short term memory loss in children can be attributed to chronic stress that they are subjected to.

Other causes of short term memory loss include Alzheimer's disease, dementia, lead poisoning etc. Conditions like anxiety and depression are known to release some chemicals in the brain, which may make it difficult for the person to concentrate and cause memory loss. Similarly, memory loss can also be triggered as a result of substance abuse. In fact, short term memory loss by alcohol is one of the most common problem that a person addicted to alcohol is likely to face.

Symptoms: Even though short term memory loss is more of a symptom than a disorder, it does tend to produce some visible symptoms on our body. The most prominent short term memory loss symptom is the inability of a person to recall information. A person suffering from such memory problems will also experience incoherent thoughts and mental confusion. It can also result in diminished cognitive ability, thus making perception and reasoning very difficult for the individual. If any of these short term memory loss symptoms are observed, it is better to opt for the diagnosis of this problem.

Treatment: As a part of this memory problem diagnosis, the person will be subjected to short term memory loss problems tests. These tests are generally targeted at evaluation of person's ability to think and memorize alongside the examination of nervous system. The causes listed above also play a crucial role when it comes to short term memory loss treatment. If short term memory loss is caused as a result of some underlying ailment, the person will have to undergo the full-fledged treatment process for the same as a part of the treatment. On the other hand, if the condition is triggered due to substance abuse, abstaining from the trigger factor can be of significant help. The doctor will also recommend various activities which help in improving concentration and memory.

That was brief information about short term memory loss - its causes, symptoms and treatment. It is very important to identify this short term memory problems and initiate treatment at the earliest, failing which the underlying condition may worsen and develop into a major complication.