Causes of Short Term Memory Loss

Causes of short term memory loss can be either the natural progression of age or it can be brought on by another disorder.

Short-term memory, as the name suggests, is held for a short period of time, usually a maximum of twenty seconds. It is then either discarded or stored in long-term memory for retrieval at a later time. Often, when people first recognize memory loss, it is their short-term memory that has begun to decline.

Causes of Short Term Memory Loss

Memory loss can result from a variety of conditions.

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are among the most common when the patient is a senior citizen, but there are other causes of short term memory loss as well.

Both depression and anxiety can cause a kind of “brain fog” that makes it difficult to concentrate and pay attention to things. As a result, it is harder for depressed or anxious people to store information in short term memory.

Low blood sugar levels can also cause short-term memory loss. Blood sugar can become too low as a result of not eating or by medical problems like diabetes.

Hormonal imbalances, particularly estrogen swings during menopause, are associated with memory problems as well. Head trauma, brain injury and brain tumors are other causes of memory loss. Also, alcohol and drug abuse can damage or destroy brain cells, affecting a person’s ability to remember things.

Memory loss and aging seem to be considered natural by most people. Actually, people can stay very sharp as they get older by keeping their mind busy with reading, crosswords, search a word and by playing Scrabble.

Natural Herbs for Short Term Memory Loss

The herb ginkgo biloba as well as gotu kola, DMAE, bilberry and antioxidant vitamins can be used as memory loss treatments.

Herbalists have used ginkgo biloba for centuries to support memory function and concentration, while antioxidants are thought to protect brain cells from damage or destruction caused by free radicals.

These days many people are turning to natural memory supplements with the aforementioned ingredients to help stimulate cognitive function and concentration.

Determining which treatments will be most effective is based on the many causes of memory loss. If the specific cause can be determined, the symptom can be treated more effectively. 

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