I keep forgetting things. Do I need to worry about it?
The other day, I failed to recall the name of an actor from one of my favorite movies — and promptly freaked out about my lapse. This actor wasn’t exactly a main character in my life, but it was concerning to realize that this name was erased from memory, when it once seemed so well lodged in my brain. It made me wonder: Do I need to worry about forgetting things, even if they’re not the big things? After consulting with experts, the answer is a resounding “It depends.”
“One of the main things that we hear about is just what you're describing — where people are losing words, especially for those less common names, like an actor whose movie you hadn’t seen in a while. That, to some extent, is really normal,” Dr. Carolyn Fredericks, assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life. She also points out that it’s similar to walking into a room and forgetting why you were there in the first place — like, say, to grab your car keys. That kind of thing tends to happen more as we get older and on its face isn’t too concerning. Things like sleep deprivation, menopause and even attention issues such as ADHD can cause us to forget these things, and most of the time they aren’t a big deal — as long as these small lapses in memory are on par with people who are around the same age as us.
But what happens if these issues are bigger than the occasional bout of forgetfulness? Karen D. Sullivan, neuropsychologist and creator of the "I Care for Your Brain" education program, tells Yahoo Life that a red flag is when people are struggling with “instrumental activities of daily living,” or IADL, which refers to the things you do to take care of yourself and your home. This can include things like financial management, taking daily medications and driving. If someone is struggling with forgetfulness that is far worse than what we might expect with normal aging, it would “be apparent to someone who knows that person well,” says Sullivan — even if it’s not initially seen as a problem by the individual themselves.
You should report concerns about memory to your primary care provider (PCP), and be prepared to give a timeline of when any changes began, specific examples and a family history of any neurological conditions, says Sullivan.
“Your PCP should give you a brief cognitive screening test, speak with your significant other or a family member and do a blood test to rule out common medical issues that cause forgetfulness like thyroid changes or vitamin deficiencies,” she explains. “If your score on the screening test is abnormal, you should then be sent to a specialist like a neuropsychologist for a more comprehensive cognitive work-up.”
One of the ways Fredericks tests people for conditions like Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia, which is an umbrella term for many types of cognitive impairment, is to have them repeat a five-word list multiple times, and then try to recall what was on the list five to 10 minutes later. Most people who struggle with memory due to things like attention issues or sleep deprivation issues may not be able to list all of the words right away, but when given clues (such as, say, that the word is a color) they will be able to recall the correct answer. However, Fredericks says people with more concerning memory issues, such as early-stage Alzheimer’s, may not even remember your reading them the list at all.
As there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, forgetfulness can make people feel a great deal of anxiety. But Sullivan points out that while dementias can be caused by these kinds of degenerative diseases — or, say, after a significant loss of brain cells following a stroke — that does not mean that every bout of forgetfulness is untreatable. She says that there are so-called pseudo-dementias that “mimic the clinical syndrome of what we think of as dementia but are caused by something treatable like depression or medication effect.”
Sullivan explains that this is why a comprehensive work-up of forgetfulness concerns is often beneficial "because a specialist will know what else may be causing or worsening cognitive symptoms,” she says. “Even in people who have been diagnosed with dementia, a neuropsychological evaluation can find and correct factors that are making cognitive or behavior symptoms worse, like disrupted sleep, a medication and over-the-counter supplement interaction or a poorly controlled chronic illness like diabetes.”
If you are hoping to improve your memory skills, however, there are options. Neurologist Dr. Douglas Scharre tells Yahoo Life that with recall, you can "use it or lose it." While you can use technology to help your memory, Scharre says, including calendars, photos, reminders and GPS to navigate while driving, "physical exercise and socialization are great whole brain activities" that can keep you mentally sharp.
"Read, learn a language, play games, do crosswords, Sudoku, play sports, learn a musical instrument — anything that will stimulate your brain and make it work," he says.
