

Exposure to a particular face becomes linked to these neurons, which fire when the memory is recalled. A 2014 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that a small number of neurons in the hippocampus may hold the memories of recent events. Then the information makes a stopover in the hippocampus. Short-term memory primarily takes place in the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortet. Long-term memory has much greater capacity and contains things such as facts, personal memories and the name of your third-grade teacher.ĭifferent parts of the brain handle the different stages of memory. New information can bump out other items from short-term memory. According to "Memory Loss & the Brain," a newsletter from the Memory Disorders Project at Rutgers University, short-term memory can store anywhere from five to nine items. Short-term memory often encompasses events over a period anywhere from 30 seconds to several days.īecause short-term memories need to be recalled for a lesser amount of time than long-term memories, the ability of the brain to store short-term items is more limited. Recent events and sensory data such as sounds are stored in short-term memory. It is also called primary or active memory. Short-term memory is the information that a person is currently thinking about or is aware of. One of the first signs of dementia is short-term memory loss. Medical conditions such as seizures, epilepsy, heart bypass surgery and depression can also impact short-term memory. Alcohol and drug abuse, concussions and other trauma to the head can impact short-term memory. A lack of oxygen to the brain can affect short-term memory. Cancer treatment, head trauma or concussion, brain infections and strokes may also bring about short-term memory loss, according to the NIH. In 30 perecent of brain aneurysm cases, memory problems disappear over time, but recovery may take weeks, according to BAF.Ī brain tumor may affect memory. Problem with body functions and mental skills may result. The pool of blood clots, increases tpressure on the brain and can irritate, damage or destroy brain cells. Brain aneurysms don't always rupture, but when they do, they can cause bleeding into the compartment surrounding the brain. Aneurysms are wek, bulging spots on the wall of brain arteries, according to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation (BAF). Treatment options depend on what caused the loss, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).Ī brain aneurysm may cause short-term memory loss, as well as long-term memory loss. There are a number of causes of short-term memory loss, some which are a result of medical conditions and others that are related to injuries or other outside influences.
