What causes short-term memory to fade?

If you forget an appointment, lose your cellphone often or frequently have trouble finding the right word, you might wonder about your memory. Is it fading?

As you age, your short-term memory diminishes. That’s your ability to remember what happened an hour ago, a few days ago or up to about a year ago.

Is short-term memory loss a sign of dementia?

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell whether your forgetfulness is because you’re getting older or if it’s linked to something more serious, such as dementia.

Usually, the patients I see with dementia don’t have the insight about themselves to notice that they’re forgetting things they used to know — names, driving directions, how to use the microwave. But the family member who usually comes with them to the appointment discusses the problems they’ve noticed with their loved one’s memory.

The patients who come in on their own and tell us about their own forgetfulness typically tend to have age-related memory problems and nothing more serious. Still, tests are done to see what they can recall and how quickly.

What causes short-term memory loss?

• Aging
• Strokes or brain damage
• Dementia or another neurodegenerative disease
• Traumatic brain injury that affects memory centers
• Infection
• Inflammation
• Frequent seizures
• Vitamin B12 or B1 deficiency
• Alcohol

Alcohol can kill brain cells. If you drink in moderation, it’s unclear if or how much your brain is affected. Some people’s brains are more resilient than others. But it’s clear that continuously drinking in excess can cause brain damage. So, you’re taking a chance anytime you overindulge. You’re daring your brain to see if it’s resilient.

Why long-term memory lasts

Long-term memory is when you remember things that happened years ago, like a childhood memory or your wedding day. These memories are stored in different parts of your brain — not just one — which is the case with short-term memory. That's why long-term memory doesn’t go away easily as you get older.

Short-term memory declines quicker than long-term memory because short-term memory is primarily stored in only one part of the brain, the hippocampus, which is in the middle part of the brain right above each ear. It’s a smaller, more vulnerable part of the brain than the areas long-term memories are stored.

How does dementia affect memory?

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type, usually targets short-term memory first — what someone said yesterday or a few minutes ago. Eventually, the disease diminishes long-term memory, such as recognizing relatives or knowing how to brush your teeth.

If you have moments of forgetfulness and it gets better, or if you occasionally forget where you put your keys or glasses or get lost coming home from someplace familiar, you likely have age-related memory loss — not dementia.

However, if you keep missing your turns and repeatedly can’t find items at home, you may have a degenerative-type of brain disease.

When does short-term memory loss start?

Typically, people begin complaining of mild memory issues in their 50s or 60s. After 65, people have a higher risk of having dementia or another neurodegenerative disease.

If dementia is caught in the early stages, medications can slow the disease. But if it’s caught too late, those medications won’t work.

Can short-term memory loss be reversed? If so, how?

If your memory loss is a part of dementia, then it can’t be reversed. But if it’s related to another issue — stroke, concussion, brain injury, vitamin deficits, stress or uncontrolled medical issues — then that short-term memory loss can be restored. Typically, treating the underlying causes as well as continuing to stimulate your brain can help you reverse your memory loss.

How do you improve your short-term memory?

The best way to preserve your memory is to use your brain as much as possible learning, reading, doing puzzles and socializing:

• Try practical memory games — memorize your grocery list instead of writing it down.
• Make reading a habit — it doesn’t matter what you read.
• Write down your schedule and see if you remember to get it all done at the end of the day without looking.
• Regularly exercise — physical activity increases circulation and helps reduce inflammation.

Can taking a certain vitamin or herb help prevent memory loss?

There’s no evidence that any vitamin or herb can prevent memory loss. Ginseng, vitamin E, coconut oil and omega 3 are harmless if taken at the right dose, but they’re not likely to improve your memory.

One vitamin is important to pay attention to: B12. If you’re low in B12, increasing your level could do a lot to not only restore your memory but also allow you to think more clearly.