Examination and Disturbance of Short-Term Memory (MSE)

1. Overview & The Memory Taxonomy

Memory = the function by which information registered in the brain is stored and later recalled to consciousness. The Debrecen lectures (Dr. Gajdos) describe memory as a three-stage process:

1. Imprinting / registration (encoding) — requires intact attention and consciousness.
2. Storing / retention (consolidation).
3. Recalling / retrieval.

Memory is characterised by capacity, durability, and accuracy. A defect at any stage produces a different clinical picture, so the examiner expects you to localise the problem (encoding vs. retention vs. retrieval).

The hierarchy of memory stores (immediate → short-term → long-term)

The boundary (define it cleanly — the examiner will push here): Short-term memory is the temporary, limited-capacity store that holds information for seconds to a few minutes (and clinically extends to "recent" events of the past few days). It is what fails first in amnestic syndromes and early dementia. Long-term memory is the durable, high-capacity store of consolidated knowledge and remote autobiographical events. It is examined separately in Topic 26 and is typically preserved in pure short-term/recent memory failure (e.g., an early Korsakoff or early Alzheimer patient recalls childhood and school facts but cannot retain a new address for five minutes).

Working memory is a closely related concept: the active manipulation of held information (not just passive storage). It overlaps with attention/executive function (→ Topic 24, Topic 31) and is dissociable from passive short-term storage.

Epidemiology / relevance (Hungary/EU context)

• The commonest causes of clinically significant short-term/recent memory loss in adults are dementia (esp. Alzheimer disease, where recent memory fails first), delirium, and alcohol-related amnestic (Korsakoff) syndrome — the latter highly relevant given the high prevalence of chronic alcohol use in Central/Eastern Europe.
• Transient causes: ECT, benzodiazepines/anticholinergics, head trauma, and dissociative (psychogenic) amnesia.

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