Clinical Classifications of Memory Disorders

Posted on Feb 6, 2026 in Psychology

Question: Enumerate the disorders of memory.

Disorders of memory refer to conditions in which an individual experiences problems with storing, retaining, or recalling information. These can result from neurological damage, psychiatric illness, or age-related decline. Below is an enumeration of major memory disorders, grouped by type:

I. Amnestic Disorders (Amnesia)

These involve partial or total loss of memory.

  1. Anterograde Amnesia

    • Inability to form new memories after the onset of the disorder.
    • Common in Korsakoff’s Syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and Alzheimer’s Disease.

  2. Retrograde Amnesia

    • Loss of pre-existing memories prior to the onset of the disorder.
    • Often seen in trauma, encephalitis, or dementia.

  3. Transient Global Amnesia (TGA)

    • A sudden, temporary episode of memory loss not attributable to a more common neurological condition.

  4. Lacunar Amnesia

    • Loss of memory regarding a specific event or period.

  5. Post-Traumatic Amnesia (PTA)

    • Memory loss following a traumatic brain injury, which is usually transient.

II. Neurodegenerative Disorders with Memory Impairment

  1. Alzheimer’s Disease

    • Progressive loss of memory and cognitive function, typically starting with short-term memory.

  2. Frontotemporal Dementia

    • Impacts behavior and language, with memory affected later in the progression.

  3. Lewy Body Dementia

    • Characterized by visual hallucinations, fluctuating cognition, and memory issues.

  4. Vascular Dementia

    • Memory impairment due to reduced blood flow to the brain, often stepwise in progression.

  5. Parkinson’s Disease Dementia

    • In advanced stages, this includes significant memory and cognitive deficits.

III. Psychiatric Disorders with Memory Impairment

  1. Dissociative Amnesia

    • Inability to recall important personal information, often following trauma or stress.

  2. Dissociative Fugue

    • Sudden travel away from home accompanied by a loss of memory for identity or the past.

  3. Depression-Related Memory Loss (Pseudodementia)

    • Memory and concentration issues resulting from severe depression.

  4. Schizophrenia

    • Working memory and episodic memory are often significantly impaired.

IV. Substance-Induced Memory Disorders

  1. Korsakoff’s Syndrome

    • Caused by chronic alcohol abuse and thiamine deficiency; results in severe anterograde and retrograde amnesia.

  2. Drug-Induced Amnesia

    • Benzodiazepines, anesthetics, and some recreational drugs can severely impair memory.

V. Developmental and Genetic Disorders

  1. Developmental Amnesia

    • Early damage to the hippocampus causing lifelong memory issues.

  2. Down Syndrome

    • Often associated with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease.

  3. Turner Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome

    • These conditions may include specific memory impairments.

VI. Other Causes of Memory Impairment

  1. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

    • Memory problems that are more significant than expected for one’s age but not severe enough for a dementia diagnosis.

  2. Normal Aging

    • Some decline in memory retrieval and processing speed is considered normal with age.

  3. Encephalitis or Brain Infections

    • Can cause focal or global memory loss depending on the areas affected.

  4. Tumors or Stroke

    • Can lead to localized memory deficits depending on the brain region involved.

Would you like a chart or visual summary of these categories?