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Central nervous system
Central nervous system
OverviewTreatment

Memory loss

Definition:
Memory loss (amnesia) is unusual forgetfulness that can be caused by brain damage due to disease or injury, or it can be caused by severe emotional trauma.

Alternative Names:
Forgetfulness; Amnesia; Impaired memory; Loss of memory

Considerations:

The cause determines whether amnesia comes on slowly or suddenly, and whether it is temporary or permanent.

Normal aging may result in trouble learning new material or requiring longer time to recall learned material. However, it does not lead to dramatic memory loss unless diseases are involved.



Common Causes:


Review Date: 2/10/2003
Reviewed By: Elaine T. Kiriakopoulos, M.D., M.Sc., Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard University, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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