6/1/22, 8:15 PM Sudden Memory Loss: What Causes It

What Causes Sudden Memory

Loss?
 Medically Reviewed by Christopher Melinosky, MD on March 05, 2021

It's normal to forget a word, misplace your keys, or have trouble remembering
directions once in a while. These kinds of memory slips become more common as
you get older. Yet sudden and severe memory loss – such as forgetting your
children's names or not knowing where you are -- can signal a more serious
problem.

Memory loss can be a sign of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.
But when it comes on quickly, it's often because of other things. Many of these
causes are treatable.

Here are some things that can lead to sudden memory loss -- and what you can do
about them:

Medicines

Many prescription drugs you might take can affect your memory. This is not a full
listing, but some of the most common ones include:

Anxiety: alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clonazepam

(Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), flurazepam (Dalmane), lorazepam (Ativan)

Depression or pain: amitriptyline (Elavil), clomipramine (Anafranil),

desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil),
nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor)
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High blood pressure: atenolol (Tenormin), captopril (Capoten), metoprolol

(Lopressor, Toprol), propranolol (Inderal), sotalol (Betapace)

High cholesterol: atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin

(Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), simvastatin (Zocor)

Pain: fentanyl (Duragesic), hydrocodone (Norco, Vicodin), hydromorphone

(Dilaudid, Exalgo), morphine (Astramorph, Avinza), oxycodone (OxyContin,
Percocet)

Seizures:acetazolamide (Diamox), carbamazepine (Tegretol), gabapentin

(Neurontin), lamotrigine (Lamictal), pregabalin (Lyrica), valproic acid
(Depakote)

Trouble sleeping:eszopiclone (Lunesta), zaleplon (Sonata), zolpidem

(Ambien)

If you take one of these drugs -- or even something not on this list -- and are
worried about your memory, ask your doctor if you can switch to something else.

Depression

Your memory and emotions are closely connected. Depression , stress, or

anxiety can affect your focus. When you can't focus, you can't remember very
well.

If you feel sad or have lost interest in things you once enjoyed, see a mental health
professional to get treated. Antidepressants and talk therapy can help with
depression .

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Too little vitamin B12 in your diet can also affect your memory. This nutrient helps
your body use energy from food, and it protects nerve cells so you can think
clearly.
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Your body doesn't make vitamin B12. You get it from foods such as meat, fish,
milk, cheese, and eggs. Some vegans might not get enough vitamin B12 from diet
alone. If you're low in this vitamin, ask your doctor about taking a supplement.

Alcohol Abuse

In large amounts, alcohol makes it harder to form new memories or store

information you've learned.

If you binge drink -- have many drinks in a short time -- you may sometimes “black
out.” You can forget entire chunks of time. If you keep drinking too much, memory
loss can become permanent.

Head Injuries

A fall, car accident, or other hard knock to the head can leave you unable to
remember people or events. Even if the injury doesn't knock you unconscious, it
can lead to memory loss.

Depending on how severe the hit to your head was, the memory issues might go
away or be permanent.

Strokes

A stroke happens when a blockage or weak area in a blood vessel cuts off blood
flow to part of your brain. Without oxygen-rich blood, brain cells start to die. A
stroke can cause short-term or long-term memory loss. You might forget things
you've learned or get easily confused.

To protect your blood vessels and prevent more strokes:

Control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels with diet, exercise, and
medicine.
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Treat high blood sugar if you have diabetes.

Don't smoke.

Amnesia
Amnesia is when you suddenly can't remember things about yourself or your life.
It can be caused by injury or damage to your brain .

“Transient global amnesia” is a type of memory loss where you suddenly forget
where you are or what's happened recently. You might ask the same questions
over and over to get your bearings.

This type of amnesia can happen after:

A head injury

Emotional upset

Intense exercise

Some scope procedures used to diagnose disease

Transient global amnesia is rare and doesn't need to be treated. It should get
better on its own.

Brain Tumors

Damage to the brain from a tumor or its treatments can affect memory.
Chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation can affect your ability to think clearly.
Cancer can also make you so tired that you can't think straight.

Take care of yourself while you're being treated for cancer . Eat well and get
plenty of rest to save energy and keep your memory.

Thyroid Problems
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The thyroid gland in your neck produces hormones that control how quickly your
body burns food for energy. When your thyroid makes too little of its hormones
-- called hypothyroidism -- your whole body slows down. You can feel tired,
depressed, and forgetful.

Your doctor will do a blood test to check your thyroid hormone levels. If they're
low, you'll get thyroid hormone pills.

What To Do

If you're worried about memory loss, see your doctor. They will ask questions
about your symptoms and do tests to find out what's behind the problem. Many
causes of memory loss can be treated.

Show Sources
SOURCES:

AARP: "10 Drugs That May Cause Memory Loss."

American Brain Tumor Association: "Memory Loss."

American Stroke Association: "Cognitive Challenges After Stroke."

BrightFocus Foundation: "'Is It Something I'm Taking?' Medications That Can Mimic Dementia."

Harvard Medical School: "7 common causes of forgetfulness."

Mayo Clinic: "Amnesia Causes." "Memory loss: When to seek help." "Transient global amnesia definition."

National Health Service: "Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)." "Vitamins and minerals -- B vitamins and folic acid."

National Institute on Aging: "Differences between mild forgetfulness and more serious memory loss." "Serious memory
problems -- causes and treatments."

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: "Alcohol's Damaging Effects on the Brain."

National Stroke Association: "What is stroke?"

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