An Overview Of The Different Types Of Memory Loss

Memory loss is a disease that can have several causes, from drug use to trauma, to head injuries to alcohol abuse. In the following article, we will look at the most common types of memory loss.

There are different types of memory loss or amnesic syndromes as well as classifications. It is a disorder characterized by a person’s partial or complete memory loss. According to diagnostic books, dissociative amnesia – a specific form – is estimated to be present in up to 2.6% of some populations. Read more about the different types of memory loss in this article!

There are two main ways to categorize the different types of memory loss. The first refers to the chronology of memory loss, that is, the type of information the patient cannot remember. The other groups them according to their etiology or, in other words, the underlying cause of the disease.

In general, the origin of memory loss can be organic or functional. Some of the most common triggers are, for example, brain trauma and the use of certain drugs.

The different types of memory loss according to their chronology

Overall, we can distinguish between two types of memory loss: retrograde and anterograde amnesia. It is important to note that a patient can present both at the same time, which means that these are two complementary disorders.

At the same time, this categorization does not refer to the causes, but the symptoms.

Anterograd amnesia

In this case, the brain does not transmit new events to the patient’s long-term memory. This means that the individual only remembers what happened before the memory loss.

This type of memory loss leads to a serious loss of autonomy in daily life, since the inability to create new memories and experiences causes various disorders from an emotional point of view. At the same time, it also entails health risks in the form of accidents. For example, you may forget that you lit the oven shortly after you did so.

The different types of memory loss: Retrograde amnesia

Here we look at the other side of the situation, because in retrograde amnesia the patient does not remember anything that happened before the onset of the disease. According to the International University of Valencia, it is possible to forget all the information you gathered through life before the brain trauma or the triggering event.

A tree in the shape of a head that loses its leaves.

Memory loss can be anterograde or retrograde, depending on whether the lost memories are from before or after the onset of the disease.

The different types of memory loss according to their etiology

On the other hand, the Cleveland Clinic indicates that we can also categorize the types of memory loss according to their etiology. That is, according to the cause that triggers the disease. Let’s look at each of them in detail.

Post-traumatic amnesia

According to neurological studies, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common causes of disability and mortality in the world. Data show that there are more than 2.5 million hospital admissions for this type of injury in the United States, which is equivalent to 16% of hospital admissions due to falls and strokes.

Post-traumatic memory loss occurs as a result of injuries that cause brain damage but do not penetrate the skull. This type of disorder is usually accompanied by loss of consciousness and even coma. Fortunately, memory loss is temporary in most cases.

The different types of memory loss: Transient global amnesia (TGA)

According to the Mayo Clinic , transient global amnesia is a temporary memory loss that cannot be attributed to the most common neurological disorders, such as epilepsy or stroke. The incidence of this disease – that is, the number of new cases in a given place – is about 2.9 to 10 cases per 100,000 people.

Therefore, experts consider it a very rare disorder. Although researchers are still unaware of the trigger of the pathology, they suspect a link to the presence of migraines or diseases of vascular origin.

Midbrain-related amnesia

As the name suggests, it is what characterizes this type of memory loss lesions in the midbrain. The main functions of this structure are to connect the nervous system and the endocrine system, as well as to control the secretion of certain glands.

An example of this type of disorder is Korsakoff’s syndrome. In this particular case, a lack of vitamin absorption is what determines the loss of memory and abilities – usually vitamin B1 – due to stomach damage from an excessive intake of alcohol.

Childhood amnesia

Memory loss in childhood is common to all people as it refers to adults’ inability to remember the first 3 to 4 years of childhood. Research indicates that the limit for this memory loss is variable and is influenced by both individual and cultural factors.

Memory loss due to Alzheimer’s

Although we are still not aware of all the causes of Alzheimer’s – experts even suspect metabolic disorders – some point out that memory loss is one of the first symptoms of this disease. This condition causes the patient to lose both short-term memory and memory of immediate events.

Drug-induced memory loss

According to San Diego Hospital , some drugs such as flunitrazepam produce anterograde amnesia. This, as we have said before, makes it impossible for the patient to remember everything that happened under the influence of the drug.

Unfortunately, flunitrazepam is known as a rape drug. This is because it is usually the drug that attackers add to women’s drinks so that they do not remember what happened and do not know how to identify the rapist.

Dissociative amnesia

In this case, we are dealing with a type of memory loss that is an unconscious defense mechanism. Patients suffering from dissociative amnesia block personal information that involves a traumatic event.

According to the website MSD manuals , these holes in memory can vary from a few minutes to entire decades of life. Hypnosis and facilitated medication interviews can help patients remember the characteristics of the traumatic event.

Qualitative amnesias or paramnesias

According to the website Medical Dictionary , paramnesia is a change in memory that involves distortion of memories. These fictitious facts replace real situations that cannot be remembered.

This type of memory loss often occurs in cases of chronic alcoholism and organic brain syndromes. We understand them as terms like deja vú and jamais vú . The first term refers to a situation where one feels a new experience as if they have experienced it before. On the other hand, it describes the other when a person does not explicitly remember having seen something before.

An elderly man looking at a list with a confused expression.

Diseases such as Alzheimer’s are related to memory loss.

When should you see a doctor?

After a severe concussion that causes loss of consciousness, even for a few seconds, a visit to the emergency doctor is mandatory. Some brain damage does not manifest itself immediately, so you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

At the same time, it is necessary to emphasize that short-term memory loss is common in the general population. We live at a very fast pace, and sometimes anxiety disorders make us feel dissociated and confused. There is therefore no need to worry if you do not remember something perfectly.

The different types of memory loss are many and varied

As you can see, although it is a disorder with a simple definition, there are many different types of memory loss, depending on the chronology and the cause. In general, memory loss occurs after a head injury and the condition is temporary.

Being forgetful is quite common in a society full of stimuli. However, when a person forgets integrated details of everyday life, feels confused in their own home or is unable to identify their location in a physical space, it is important to consult a doctor.