Temporary memory loss can be caused by epilepsy, brain tumors, strokes, drug and alcohol abuse, head injuries, and prescription drugs. Amnesia is typically treated with therapy and is more common in older people. Epileptic amnesia has no effective treatment, but medication can reduce seizures. Alcohol and some drugs can affect memory, and the elderly are at greater risk due to strokes and dementia. Psychotherapy can sometimes help, but drug therapy is generally not effective.
Many conditions and diseases could lead to temporary memory loss. The most common are considered epilepsy, brain tumors and strokes. Drug and alcohol abuse and some types of head injuries, such as concussions, can also cause temporary memory loss. Amnesia, which is a blanket term for memory loss of any kind, is typically treated with therapy rather than medication and is generally more common in older people.
The temporary memory loss in people with epilepsy is thought to be caused by brain damage resulting from the seizures themselves. After experiencing a seizure, the person commonly has no memory of the events leading up to or during the seizure. Memory loss usually only lasts a few hours, but can sometimes last for days or weeks. The frequency of epileptic events can also impact the duration and severity of the memory loss. There is no treatment considered effective for epileptic amnesia, but people with epilepsy typically take medications to reduce the frequency of their seizures.
Alcohol abuse can impair the brain’s ability to generate new cells, while some drugs, such as marijuana, can directly affect the hippocampus, a part of the brain thought to process memory. Studies on the effects of marijuana on memory appear to offer conflicting results. Some studies indicate that a few months of marijuana use can have permanent effects on memory, while other studies show that the effects lessen or disappear altogether after only a few weeks.
Temporary memory loss is a common side effect of many prescription drugs. Some studies show that more than 100 different types of commonly prescribed drugs can cause some type of amnesia. Antidepressants and barbiturates are associated with memory loss, as are some antihistamines and heart medications. Additionally, medications aimed at treating insomnia and pain can have an effect on memory.
The elderly are considered to be at greater risk of temporary memory loss. Strokes are more common in the elderly, as are the diseases that cause dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that usually leads to total memory loss, but this is not always the case in its early stages. Patients may experience only mild or temporary memory loss for many years. This disease, although the subject of much medical research, is not fully understood.
Drug therapy is generally not considered effective in treating temporary memory loss. Psychotherapy, on the other hand, can sometimes help, if the memory loss isn’t due to injury or illness. Some psychologists have had success employing methods such as hypnotism to help patients regain lost memories.
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