MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It was built as an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends.
MedlinePlus presents high-quality, easy to understand, relevant health and wellness information that is trusted.
MedlinePlus at a Glance
- Offers information on health topics, human genetics, medical tests, medications, dietary supplements, and healthy recipes.
- Sourced from more than 1,600 selected organizations.
- Provides 40,000 links to authoritative health information in English and 18,000 links to information in Spanish.
- In 2018, 277 million users viewed MedlinePlus more than 700 million times.
Memory
Every day, you have different experiences and you learn new things. Your brain cannot store all of that information, so it has to decide what is worth remembering. Memory is the process of storing and then remembering this information. There are different types of memory. Short-term memory stores information for a few seconds or minutes. Long-term memory stores it for a longer period of time.
Memory doesn't always work perfectly. As you grow older, it may take longer to remember things.
It's normal to forget things once in a while. We've all forgotten a name, where we put our keys, or if we locked the front door. If you are an older adult who forgets things more often than others your age, you may have mild cognitive impairment. Forgetting how to use your phone or find your way home may be signs of a more serious problem, such as:
- Alzheimer's disease
- Other types of dementia
- Stroke
- Depression
- Head injuries
- Blood clots or tumors in the brain
- Kidney, liver, or thyroid problems
- Reactions to certain medicines
If you're worried about your forgetfulness, see your health care provider.
NIH: National Institute on Aging
