Weight loss or excess weight gain may cause short-term memory disturbances. Short-term memory, also known as working memory, holds a limited number of items in your brain accessible for up to 20 to 30 seconds, according to Robert Morris University. For example, you use your short-term memory when you look up a phone number in the directory and then dial the number into the phone. Vitamin deficiencies and variable glucose levels associated with weight loss or weight gain can affect your short-term memory.
Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery is a surgery conducted on overweight individuals to reconstruct the digestive system to enhance weight loss. After surgery, individuals are required to eat very small portions of food, often limiting the consumption of vitamins. A consequence of bariatric surgery is the development of Wernicke's encephalopathy, a condition associated with thiamin or vitamin B1 deficiency. Symptoms of Wernicke's encephalopathy include loss of short-term memory, vision and muscle coordination. If the condition is recognized early, symptom reversal is possible with adequate consumption of thiamin.
Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are psychological conditions defined as eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by extreme weight loss. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, a symptom of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, causes memory disturbances and cognitive difficulties, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. Additionally, low blood sugar, characteristic among anorectics, can cause confusion, dizziness and memory difficulties. Replenishing vitamin, mineral and glucose levels improves memory caused by eating disorders.
Dieting
Dieting to lose weight may influence your ability to remember facts short-term. According to a 2009 study published in the journal "Appetite," participants eating a low-carbohydrate diet experienced memory impairments. Specifically, these dieters performed significantly worse on short-term memory tasks than dieters not eating low-carbohydrate diets. Researchers attribute this discrepancy to low glucose levels among dieters consuming low-carbohydrate foods. Low glucose levels prevent an adequate oxygen supply from reaching the brain, potentially causing short-term memory loss.
Obesity
According to a May 2011 study at the University of Texas at Austin, obese status is linked to slow cognitive functioning. Specifically, the area of the brain, the parietal lobe, responsible for planning and memory yielded slower response rates from obese and overweight individuals. Researchers attribute this deficit to poor insulin sensitivity, which affects the body's ability to use glucose. Glucose insensitivity causes short-term memory disturbance and limits the quantities of oxygen in the blood traveling to the brain. Andreana Haley, lead researcher on the study at the University of Texas at Austin, reported memory sluggishness and planning are associated with obese status, which may lead to dementia later on in life. She emphasizes the importance of losing weight to prevent progressive cognitive dysfunction.
References
- University of Texas at Austin; The Skinny on Memory Loss; Jessica Sinn; May 2011
- "Appetite"; Low-Carbohydrate Weight-Loss Diets. Effects on Cognition and Mood; Kristen S. D'Anci, et al.; 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Anorexia Nervosa; Steven D. Ehrlich; 2008
- Harvard Medical School; Wernicke's Encephalopathy: The Neuroradiologic Evaluation of a Patient with Altered Mental Status; Chuan-Mei Lee and Gillian Lieberman; May 2010
- Robert Morris University; Learning Theories -- A Primer Exercises; Lawrence Tomei; October 2004
