Have you been diagnosed with a brain tumour? Order your free information pack.

Brain tumour memory loss and memory difficulties

Sadly, brain tumours can cause memory loss or memory difficulties. This can sometimes be because of the tumour affecting the brain or possibly because of the tumour’s treatment.

Short summary

1 in 2 people we spoke to experienced memory difficulties or memory loss caused by a brain tumour or its treatment.

But, it’s important to remember that not everybody who is affected by a brain tumour will experience memory difficulties. And, those who do might have different experiences. This is because symptoms and their severity can be different from person to person.

With that in mind, we’ll discuss brain tumour memory loss and memory difficulties below. On this page you’ll find:

Get support

Our kind and approachable Support Team can answer questions you have or provide a listening ear if you need one.

Expert benefits & money advice

Benefits and Money Advice Clinic supported 339 people in the last financial year (22/23), to the tune of £807,938.

Get the BRIAN app

BRIAN is our trusted online app where you can track your experience, compare it with others who’ve been there and get the knowledge you need to make informed decisions.

About memory

Memory is our ability to receive information, store it and then remember it in the future. Although there are various types or aspects of memory, it can be split broadly into short-term and long-term memory.

Short-term memories help us remember things from a few seconds ago, such as the name of a person we just met. These are forgotten after around 20 seconds or converted into long-term memories, depending on their importance and the circumstances.

Long-term memories enable us to recall information from the past, whether it’s a minute ago, a year ago or many decades ago.

The types of brain tumour-related memory loss you may experience are:

  • losing memories formed before you had a brain tumour or treatment (also known as retrograde amnesia)
  • difficulty remembering memories formed after you had a brain tumour or treatment (also known as anteretrograde amnesia).

Back to the top

How can a brain tumour cause memory loss or difficulties?

There are a few different things that could be responsible for brain tumour-related memory loss. The below are common causes of memory difficulties.

Location of the tumour

Many areas of the brain are involved in storing and recalling different types of memories. So, it’s not always possible to accurately predict how someone’s memory will be affected by a brain tumour. 

However, it’s more likely (but not definite) that someone will experience memory loss if their tumour is in the frontal or temporal lobes of the brain.

Find out more

Brain tumour and memory loss

Suddenly I didn’t know where I was or why I was there.

Carol Rutherford

Effect of treatment

One of the types of treatment that can cause memory difficulties is neurosurgery.

Neurosurgery can cause some temporary swelling around the brain, so it’s normal to experience memory loss after brain tumour removal or biopsy. 

You may also experience difficulties with your memory after brain surgery if surgeons had to remove brain cells that were responsible for your memory. 

Regaining memory after brain surgery will depend on whether the memory loss is caused by temporary swelling or the removal of brain cells responsible for your memory.

Also, the side-effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy can include memory loss and cognitive difficulties. They can also affect your energy levels, which can make it harder to remember things. 

Unfortunately, the side-effects of these treatments can sometimes last weeks and months after treatment has ended.

Side-effects of treatment

Back to the top

Coping with brain tumour memory loss

There are many ways that you, your loved ones and healthcare team can reduce the effect memory difficulties have on your everyday life, including:

  • using memory aids
  • making adaptations to your environment
  • trying new ways of organising and planning
  • learning about memory techniques.

We’ve collected some ideas about how to cope with memory difficulties that were suggested to us by healthcare professionals and people who are living with a brain tumour.

Find out more

Back to the top

Concerned about your memory?

Test and track your short-term memory with the BRIAN snap challenge. It takes 20 seconds and you’ll see how your score changes from day to day. You can use the results to talk to your consultant or GP if you have concerns.

Memory test - test your memory by comparing different images as quickly as possible.

BRIAN is our trusted online app where you can track your experience, compare it with others who’ve been there and get the knowledge you need to make informed decisions.

Find out more


Tips from our community

“I use a shared calendar, so people that know me can write any dates we arrange, straight into it. It’s just become a normal thing to do when you make plans with me.”

“When my child’s memory loss was at its worst, we kept a diary together to help them remember what they had and hadn’t done. This helped them stick to a routine.”

“I always try to keep things in the same place, like hanging my bag on the back of the door or leaving my keys on a hook by the front door.”

“It’s simply a matter of time and patience. It’s been a slow process (and I’m not 100% there yet) but after having surgery a year ago, my memory is now much better.”

Join one of our Online Support Communities for more tips about coping with a brain tumour diagnosis, from people who truly understand what you’re going through.

Find out more


Download our memory difficulties factsheet

Memory difficulties and brain tumours – PDF

Find more information on memory difficulties in our full fact sheet.

Memory difficulties and brain tumours – Clear Print – PDF

Find more information on memory difficulties in our clear print fact sheet.


If you have further questions, need to clarify any of the information on this page, or want to find out more about research and clinical trials, please contact our team:
Support and Information Services
0808 800 0004 Free from landlines and mobiles
Phone lines open Mon-Fri, 09:00-17:00
Check the signs and symptoms of a brain tumour

Know the Signs and Symptoms

Although brain tumours are rare, if you or a loved one are experiencing two or more of the signs and symptoms it’s important that you speak to your doctor to rule out a brain tumour.

Check the signs and symptoms of a brain tumour

Get support

If you need someone to talk to or advice on where to get help, our Support and Information team is available by phone, email or live-chat.

Living with memory loss

Jennifer’s shares her experience of memory difficulties after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Let’s Talk About Brain Tumours

If you or someone you know is struggling with memory difficulties after a brain tumour diagnosis, you may want to listen to a new episode of our podcast, Let’s Talk About Brain Tumours, which is all about memory.

Check the signs and symptoms of a brain tumour

Share your experiences and help create change

By taking part in our Improving Brain Tumour Care surveys and sharing your experiences, you can help us improve treatment and care for everyone affected by a brain tumour.