Your memory works by forming connections between different neurons and your brain, with information encoded and stored so that it can be retrieved when you recall a memory.
There are many types of memory, including sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory, all of which are influenced by the strength of your neural connections; the stronger your connections, the easier it is to recall information with accuracy.
So, is memory loss a symptom of depression?
Is Memory Loss a Symptom of Depression?
Yes, memory loss can be a symptom of depression that results from weak neural connections. This is not to say that depression erases your memory or causes some sort of amnesia, but rather that depression:
- Negatively impacts the hippocampus, which is where your memories get stored
- Disrupts short-term memory, making it more difficult to recall details
- Causes difficulty focusing, sometimes called brain fog
Again, this is not memory loss like Dementia or Alzheimer’s, but depression can cause memory issues.
Hippocampus and Depression
Depression causes your hippocampus to shrink. The hippocampus regulates your mood, stress hormones, and memory, so when it shrinks, it causes memory issues. A 2018 study indicates that people with depression had memory complaints, and the higher their level of depression or more severe their depression, the more they struggled with memory.
Tangentially, problems with stress hormones can stop new neurons from growing in your hippocampus, making issues with brain fog and cognitive recall even more challenging if you have depression.
Short-Term Memory and Depression
Depression makes it difficult to store and retrieve short-term memories. Depression interferes with your ability to stay focused, something called brain fog.
When this happens, you are more likely to miss important details when you try to focus on something, so when you try to recall that information later, you won’t have all of the details.
Negatively Bias and Depression
Depression also impairs your ability to properly store and retrieve memories because of what is called negativity bias. People who struggle with depression tend to focus on negative information, so the data that gets encoded for later recall is more likely to be negative than it is positive, which can interfere with accuracy.
One 2014 study found that the effects of depression could have a long-term impact on memory and that those with a history of depression are more likely to remember negative information compared to those with no depression in their history.
Executive Function and Depression
Finally, depression impacts executive function. A 2014 meta-analysis concluded that people with depression have issues with their executive function, making it challenging to stay on task, pay attention, and adequately store information.
Your executive function is where skills like monitoring information and organization take place, so any disturbance here can make it harder for your brain to store and retrieve short-term memory information.
Medication and Depression
New research from the International Neuropsychiatric Disease Journal has found that some depression medications could also affect memory.Â
Can You Reverse Memory Problems Associated with Depression?
It is important to recognize the signs of depression and to get proper treatment as soon as possible.
A 2019 study reviewed data from the National Child Development Study, a study on children that followed them through adulthood. The results indicated that those who struggled with depression in their twenties were more likely to struggle with delayed memory problems when they reached 50.
This does not mean that depression will automatically cause memory loss later in life, but it does mean that there is a link between depression and memory, so being able to get treatment for depression early can help you avoid unwanted, long-term side effects or consequences that this can have.
Getting Help from Elevation BH for Depression and Memory Loss
If you are struggling with memory loss and depression, it’s important that you find the right type of treatment center to provide help in the form of medication for your depression, as well as personal strategies for managing the brain fog that you might face.
These strategies can involve:
- Getting help in a distraction-free environment where you are better able to focus
- Slowing down so that you can repeat and commit information to short-term and, subsequently long-term memory
- Creating reminders for things that are important and setting up notifications
- Eating a healthy diet that supports memory and mood regulation
- Participating in CBT activities that improve mood and organization
- Exercising regularly to help balance depression symptoms
At our residential depression treatment center, we can provide a range of high-end support for those who are struggling with memory loss as a symptom of depression. With an intimate setting situated in Southern California, our upscale accommodations include private rooms where you are free from distractions, an executive chef who can help you find a healthy diet to support memory and mood regulation, and spa-like amenities that let you focus on self-care and overcoming depression.
Reach out to our team today to learn more about the link between depression and memory loss. Call us at 877-565-3144.
