Reviewed By:
Benjamin Kummer, MD (Neurology)
Dr Kummer is Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), with joint appointment in Digital and Technology Partners (DTP) at the Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) as Director of Clinical Informatics in Neurology. As a triple-board certified practicing stroke neurologist and informaticist, he has successfully improved clinical operations at the point of care by acting as a central liaison between clinical neurology faculty and DTP teams to implement targeted EHR configuration changes and workflows, as well as providing subject matter expertise on health information technology projects across MSHS. | Dr Kummer also has several years’ experience building and implementing several informatics tools, presenting scientific posters, and generating a body of peer-reviewed work in “clinical neuro-informatics” – i.e., the intersection of clinical neurology, digital health, and informatics – much of which is centered on digital/tele-health, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He has spearheaded the Clinical Neuro-Informatics Center in the Department of Neurology at ISMMS, a new research institute that seeks to establish the field of clinical neuro-informatics and disseminate knowledge to the neurological community on the effects and benefits of clinical informatics tools at the point of care.
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
Content updated on Apr 4, 2024
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Asks the same question over and over again
Repeatedly asks the same question
I can't remember things
Keeps asking the same question
Cannot remember answers
Forgets the answer
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About the Symptom
Forgetfulness is described as a memory lapse or inability to retrieve stored information in the brain that is unexpected or unusual.
When to see a doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Poor memory
Possible Causes
Generally, Memory loss can be related to:
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is also known as mild or "pre-dementia" in which patients experience forgetfulness or other cognitive problems (such as issues with language or thinking) that do not prevent them from daily functioning. A small proportion of patients have MCI due to depression, medication side effects, sleep disturbances such as sleep apnea, low vitamin B12 levels or low thyroid function. Some controllable risk factors include excessive alcohol intake, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, as well as lack of mental stimulation. Patients with MCI have a high risk for developing dementia, which occurs in about 14% of cases.
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a serious neurological disorder caused by the destruction of cells that produce myelin (protective layer around nerves) in the white matter of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It is caused by the reactivation of the JC (John Cunningham) virus. Most adults have been exposed to this virus, and it usually doesn't cause any problems, but people with a weakened immune system are at higher risk for developing PML. PML is typically associated with patients who have HIV/AIDS, but it can also occur in patients without HIV who have a weakened immune system for other reasons.
Cerebral Autosomal-Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) and Cerebral Autosomal-Recessive Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL) are hereditary conditions that damage small blood vessels in the brain. This causes decreased blood flow to the brain, resulting in tissue death, and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Depression
Related serious diseases
Sometimes, Memory loss may be related to these serious diseases:
Cerebral infarction refers to damage to brain tissue resulting from a stroke. It occurs due to decreased blood supply and oxygen delivery to the brain, causing brain cell death and brain damage. It is typically caused by a blood clot or fatty/cholesterol plaques blocking a blood vessel to the brain, but can also occur if a blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into the brain.
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
Have you been forgetful lately?
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References
Cooper C, Bebbington P, Lindesay J, Meltzer H, McManus S, Jenkins R, Livingston G. The meaning of reporting forgetfulness: a cross-sectional study of adults in the English 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. Age Ageing. 2011 Nov;40(6):711-7. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afr121. Epub 2011 Sep 6. PMID: 21896556.
https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/40/6/711/47265
Kirshner HS, Gifford KA. Intellectual and memory impairments. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 7.
Oyebode F. Disturbance of memory. In: Oyebode F, ed. Sims' Symptoms in the Mind: Textbook of Descriptive Psychopathology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 5.
Reviewed By:
Benjamin Kummer, MD (Neurology)
Dr Kummer is Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), with joint appointment in Digital and Technology Partners (DTP) at the Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) as Director of Clinical Informatics in Neurology. As a triple-board certified practicing stroke neurologist and informaticist, he has successfully improved clinical operations at the point of care by acting as a central liaison between clinical neurology faculty and DTP teams to implement targeted EHR configuration changes and workflows, as well as providing subject matter expertise on health information technology projects across MSHS. | Dr Kummer also has several years’ experience building and implementing several informatics tools, presenting scientific posters, and generating a body of peer-reviewed work in “clinical neuro-informatics” – i.e., the intersection of clinical neurology, digital health, and informatics – much of which is centered on digital/tele-health, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He has spearheaded the Clinical Neuro-Informatics Center in the Department of Neurology at ISMMS, a new research institute that seeks to establish the field of clinical neuro-informatics and disseminate knowledge to the neurological community on the effects and benefits of clinical informatics tools at the point of care.
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
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