- Anterograde amnesia is a type of memory loss that makes it difficult to form new memories.
- Brain damage or inflammation due to a head injury is often the cause of anterograde amnesia.
- Anterograde amnesia can be managed with specific memory training exercises.
There are two main types of amnesia, or memory loss:
1. Anterograde amnesia: Your brain becomes unable to form new memories or store new information after the amnesia-causing event. As a result, you may have trouble recalling things that happened in the recent past — like what you had for breakfast — but easily remember things that happened prior to the amnesia-causing event.
2. Retrograde amnesia: Impairs your ability to remember anything that occurred before the amnesia set in but doesn't impair your ability to make new memories.
Anterograde amnesia is significantly more common than retrograde amnesia, according to Jacob Hascalovici MD, a board-certified neurologist and chief medical officer at Clearing. He adds that not all people with anterograde amnesia will experience a full recovery, but it's definitely treatable and sometimes temporary.
"Occupational therapists and other professionals can help people with anterograde amnesia relearn certain skills and master tasks that support everyday functioning, like being able to go to appointments and schedule reminders of certain daily commitments," he says.
Here's what to know about the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for anterograde amnesia.
Symptoms
As with other forms of amnesia, anterograde amnesia often happens when the hippocampus is damaged, says Hascalovici.
The hippocampus is a part of the brain located in the inner temporal lobe, which plays a key role in the long-term storage of new memories. Other areas near the hippocampus can also be damaged, says Hascalovici, including the basal forebrain, fornix, and medial temporal lobe.
According to Hascalovici, these are some of the most common symptoms associated with anterograde amnesia:
- Trouble remembering life events that happened after the amnesia-causing event, like a move or job change
- Inability to remember new acquaintances made after amnesia set in
- Difficulty learning new skills
- Confusion or disorientation
- Forgetting things that happened just hours or moments before
- Filling in gaps in your memory with fabricated events (confabulation)
Causes
Depending on the cause, anterograde amnesia can happen suddenly or take time to develop, says Hascalovici.
All causes of anterograde amnesia involve some kind of stress or trauma to the brain. According to Ryan C. Warner, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist at 1AND1 Life, these are some of the most common causes:
- Head injuries: including concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Brain damage from a traumatic brain surgery
- Brain damage from alcohol abuse
- Stroke
- Brain inflammation (encephalitis)
Warner notes that certain lifestyle choices and other factors can also increase your risk of anterograde amnesia. Those risk factors include:
- Chronic alcoholism
- Reckless driving
- Having seizures
- Participating in contact sports like football, hockey, and boxing
- Taking benzodiazepines
- Undergoing electroconvulsive therapy
Some of these factors may be outside of your control. However, Hascolovici notes that wearing a helmet during athletic activities, wearing a seatbelt in the car and practicing safe driving, and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption can help reduce your risk of anterograde amnesia.
Treatment
There is no cure for anterograde amnesia, but it is treatable.
Whether or not you fully recover depends on the scope and severity of the brain damage, says Hascalovici. Sometimes, the damage is permanent, and sometimes the brain is able to heal.
According to Hascalovici, treatments are usually focused on managing the symptoms of amnesia so you're able to perform daily responsibilities and lead a fulfilling life. Treatment options include:
- Occupational therapy
- Memory training exercises
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin) supplements in cases of a deficiency
Another option, described in a 2021 review, is called "visual lifelogging" — using a wearable camera to capture your daily life activities. The researchers found that this method can be effective in helping to recover memory in amnesia patients. Studies showed that when participants with mild to severe amnesia reviewed the images recorded by their lifelogging devices, it helped to trigger memory recall.
If symptoms don't improve after therapy, training, supplements, or lifelogging, Hascalovici says patients may seek assistance with organization. They can also lean on technology — like setting alarms or using reminder apps — for remembering important tasks and information.
Insider's takeaway
Anterograde amnesia is a condition that prevents you from forming new memories. This can pose many life challenges, but it is possible to treat — and in some cases, it's only temporary.
Symptoms may worsen, stay the same, or improve, depending on the level of brain damage and how your brain responds to treatment.
Some of the most common causes of anterograde amnesia include head and brain injuries from sports, surgeries, stroke, and alcohol abuse.
No matter the cause, always consult your doctor about any recent head injuries or unexplained memory loss — they can screen you for amnesia, and offer recommendations for treatment that are tailored to your specific condition.