A Look At Short Term Memory Problems and How It Affects Learning

February 17th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

As you are going to see finding out the causes of short term memory can be a difficult task and is not as easy as it may seem.  There are many reasons for the cause of short term memory and in this article we are going to talk about some of them.  But first there is a great book called “Sorry I Forgot” and you can get a sneak peek of this book by clicking the following link called causes for short term memory loss.

Short term memory problems can significantly impact learning new information or retaining new events in a person’s life. The ability to function in the present and future can be drastically altered if a person has severe limitations in short term memory. The question is what, if anything, can be done to help a person with short term memory loss.

How you get short term memory loss can vary greatly. For some it is due to aging. For others it could be the side effect of various drugs that they are using. Head injury, stress and depression also reduce short term recall and cognitive functions. Stroke can damage sections of the brain involved in memory as well.

Extreme short term memory loss is usually the result of head trauma or a progressive disease like Alzheimer’s or dementia. There have also been cases where radical brain surgery has removed the ability of a patient to hold information in short term memory, but those cases are rare.

Studies on memory and learning show that short term memory problems can be a factor in a person’s ability to learn new things. Short term memory is usually the starting place for processing information, events ,etc. into our long term memory storage. If a person has issues utilizing short term memory then they will often have problems with learning facts, names, figures, etc.

Diagnosing short term memory problems can be tricky. It usually involves both physical and psychological testing to determine the root cause. How you get short term memory loss is important in how it is treated of if treatment is even possible.

Obviously if the root cause for the short term memory problems a person faces are due to drug side effects or stress then changing the drugs or reducing the stress will probably bring an improvement in recall and a boost in learning.

If the root causes is injury or trauma then usually only time and letting the body heal itself will determine if any ability to recall is recovered or maintained. Learning new things will probably be a struggle during this process until the brain adjusts and is able to either heal or adapt to the damage…assuming it is not too severe.

Extreme short term memory loss will usually inhibit the learning process permanently. There are some prescription drugs that can help with recall issues caused by Alzheimer’s or dementia, but they often have troubling side effects of their own. Certain natural supplements containing things like Ginkgo, Ginseng, huperzine A as well as B complex vitamins have shown some promising results in recent studies. In fact some studies directed toward natural remedies and Alzheimer’s treatment determined that some supplements geared for memory protection and enhancement worked as well as prescription drugs in certain patients, but without similar side effects.

The studies also indicated that supplements can help with the issue of how you get short term memory loss. They noted that use of certain herbals can help stimulate neurotransmitter production as well as the protection of those brain chemicals from age related decline. Herbals have also demonstrated an ability to maintain memory function and protect nerve cells from damage due to free radicals as well as helping the brain adjust to stress without reducing function.

For those who’s short term memory problems stem from injury or trauma using memory aids such as writing things down or using repetition can help compensate for reduced recall, provided that the person retains at least some function. This may help people continue to learn and retain information while injured, but requires more time making the learning process slower than normal.

Depending on the cause of the recall issue, there is hope for some that learning can continue. The brain is a mysterious organ though and much more is still needing to be discovered about how it works. Continuing research on brain function and remedies for memory loss are helping bridge that gap, but it is still a long road.

If you are not suffering from any major medical problems and you would like to improve your memory, then I have a great deal for you.  You can get a sneak peek of a book that is helping many people for free.  This is going to let you in on some techniques that will help your short term memory.  So click the following link and enjoy the preview and discover some of the causes of short term memory loss.

J. Wall has an avid interest in natural remedies for the treatment of memory loss. He is a regular contributor to the Memory Loss Remedies section of http://www.memory-enhancement-guide.com, a site dedicated to improving mental ability and cognitive function.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Wall


How and Why Do You Lose Short term Memory?

November 11th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Short term memory, often called the “primary,” “working” or “active” memory, is said to retain information for about 20 seconds. Short term memory retaining capability alters from about 3 or 4 elements (i.e., words, digits, or letters) to about 9 elements: the capacity that is generally quoted is 7±2 elements. However, long-term memory can retain infinite data and can stay stored for an unspecified period of time.

The capability of keeping in mind, small bits of facts in an agile as well as easily procurable condition is termed as a short-term memory. The information may include:

  • 1. sensory input newly worked on;
  • 2. information taken from long-term memory
  • 3. the product of the latest processing carried out in the mind- this, however, is associated with the notion of working memory
  • Problems associated with short term memory loss can result in difficulties that a person has to face regarding acquisition of new knowledge or even remembering recent incidents. The person with the problem is confronted with difficulties of working in the present and the future- these concepts are hugely affected. The main concern here is how to deal and treat a patient who is suffering from short term memory loss.

    How do you lose short -term memory? This loss can be for different reasons. Sometimes it is due to aging; sometimes it is caused as a result of excessive drug usage. Head injury, stress and depression also lead to a decrease in short term recall and cognitive properties. Stroke can injure parts of the brain that retain memory.

    How do you lose short-term memory? Progressive diseases like Alzheimer’s or dementia or some head trauma can lead to disability and short term memory loss. It has also been seen that some form of surgery has been responsible for the short-term memory retaining capacity of a patient. However, these incidents are quite uncommon.

    To prevent aging or avoid it altogether has been the aim of several researches that have been carried out by humans for a long period of time. Our mind is the storehouse of all that we brood over, all that we know as well as knowledge of our identities. Probably it is the most crucial system that is examined in order to find out the effects of aging.

    Memory disorders that occur not due to aging:

  • • Forgetting things at a higher frequency than usual.
  • • Not remembering how to work things out, things that you have done many times previously.
  • • Problems in memorizing new things
  • • Being extremely repetitive in one particular conversation.
  • • Indecisive and also not good at managing monetary transactions.
  • • Fail to follow the activities of the day.
  • According to recent research, marijuanna taken on a daily basis affects the capacity to learn and memorize. It actually damages the ability to concentrate, maintain it and then transfer the concentration elsewhere. A study showed that prolonged use of marijuana weakens the capacity to assimilate and also incorporate intricate details. But we yet need to know how long does marijuana affect short-term memory.

    We know that marijuana causes great damage to short-term memory but we do not know how long marijuana affects short-term memory. Marijuana also makes one lethargic and he or she does not feel the impetus to carry out a job, need a nap, even after the high is gone. A study revealed that small doses of marijuana made one incapable of remembering words from a list that was shown to the person 20 minutes earlier.

    Memory disorders mostly lead to depression. The mechanisms of the brain slow down and the part of the brain that controls memory is especially affected. If a patient keeps fretting over his or her memory loss, then it is likely that the depression will delve deeper into the system and also a vicious nature will be generated.

    One of the very common reasons for memory disorders is stress. Worry or any form of stress can lead to the inability to retain and recall past experiences. Once the disorder is cured over time or proper treatment, things fall into place and memory becomes proficient as earlier.

    Now to continue with learning some memory tips and if you really want to improve your short term memory as well as your long term memory, you must read the book “Sorry I Forgot”. The Memory Improvement Tips that are in this book will help you to remember more than you forget. There are many techniques and tricks on how to Improve Your Memory. So just click the link.

    Back to top: Lose Short Term Memory

    Further Readings:

    Improve your memory skills

    How to improve short term memory in children

    Tips for improving memory

    Tips for memorization

    How to develop a photographic memory

    Games to increase concentration short term