Memory Loss

What is Memory Loss?

Memory loss is a common concern, especially as we age. It’s natural to wonder whether forgetfulness is part of normal aging or a sign of something more serious. While it’s true that memory and thinking skills can change over time, ongoing or worsening memory problems should be taken seriously.

Memory loss happens when brain or nervous system cells stop working as they should and begin to die. This can result from many different causes—some reversible, others progressive.

What Causes Memory Loss?

Memory loss can stem from a range of conditions. Some are treatable, and with proper care, memory may improve. Others are linked to long-term changes in the brain.

Reversible causes include:

Substance or alcohol use
Medication side effects
Depression, stress, or other mental health concerns

Memory loss can also be caused by progressive disorders, including:

Alzheimer’s disease
Vascular dementia
Limbic-Predominant Age-Related TDP-43 Encephalopathy (LATE)
Dementia with Lew Bodies
Parkinson’s disease
Frontotemporal dementia
Primary Progressive Aphasia

The problem is seen in several serious conditions that affect older adults, including:

Dementia
Cognitive dysfunction
Alzheimer’s disease

Age-Related Symptoms of Memory Loss

These changes in memory are associated with natural aging:

Occasional difficulty with finding words
Getting distracted more easily
Taking longer to remember something

Condition-Related Symptoms of Memory Loss

The following types of issues can suggest a more serious cause:

Memory disruptions that interfere with daily life
Difficulty planning or solving problems
Challenges with familiar tasks
Confusion about time or place
Misplacing items with an inability to retrace steps
Poor judgment
Withdrawal from social or work activities
Significant mood or personality changes

Identifying these signs early allows for timely clinical evaluation and interventions that can make a meaningful difference. Seeking out an evaluation for memory loss will identify the cause and possible treatments.

UR Medicine's Treatments for Memory Loss

If you are concerned about a loved one’s memory, start by contacting their primary care provider (PCP). If possible, attend the appointment with them to share details about the memory changes you've noticed. The PCP can do an initial check and decide if a referral to a specialist is needed.

Evaluation and Testing

At the first visit, you will meet with one of our specially-trained physicians who specializes in memory and cognitive disorders. This appointment usually lasts about an hour.

It’s helpful for the patient to bring someone who knows them well. This allows our experts to better understand when and how the memory problems started, as well as how they’ve changed over time.

The doctor will check the patient’s memory and thinking skills and decide if more testing is needed. This may include lab work, brain imaging, or neuropsychological testing to help make a diagnosis.

Treatment Plans for Memory Loss

After testing is complete, our care team will work together to create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. This plan will consider both your emotional well-being and your social situation.

Once your plan is in place, you may have follow-up visits with one of our nurse practitioners or physician assistants to help manage your care.

Your treatment plan may include:

Medication
Non-medication treatment of emotional and sleep disorders
Implementing a healthy brain lifestyle plan

What is a Healthy Brain Lifestyle?

Living a healthy brain lifestyle includes focusing on physical exercise, intellectual stimulation, social engagement, and heart healthy diet to maintain cognitive function.

Caregiver Support

Caregivers are often in need of support as well. Our interdisciplinary team partners with social work and licensed counselors to provide this support as well as partner with local organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association and Lifespan.

Video: Physicians with the Memory Care Program discuss how their "multidisciplinary approach" improves care and support for patients with memory disorders and their families.

Video: Dr. Fred Marshall with the Memory Care Program discusses how his personal experience with memory disorders impacts his approach to care.

What Sets Us Apart?

Our team approach is designed to ensure you and your family get all the help you need. Our experts include physicians who are fellowship-trained, the highest level of academic specialization in their field.

Providers at the University of Rochester Medical Center include specialty trained behavioral neurologists, neuropsychologists, geriatric psychiatrists, geriatricians, therapists, and social workers.

Our providers are nationally known principal investigators in multi-center randomized clinical trials and studies funded by the National Institutes of Health. They have published hundreds of journal articles and book chapters and are leaders of select medical societies in their field.