{"id":7062,"date":"2026-06-18T16:39:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T15:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/?p=7062"},"modified":"2026-06-18T16:39:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T15:39:38","slug":"falhas-de-memoria-que-medico-devo-procurar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/falhas-de-memoria-que-medico-devo-procurar\/","title":{"rendered":"Memory Problems: Which Doctor Should I See?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7062\" class=\"elementor elementor-7062\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4acb34ab e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4acb34ab\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2aff5aa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2aff5aa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Short answer:<\/strong> When frequent and persistent memory lapses occur, the first point of contact is the GP, but specialist assessment is the responsibility of a neurologist or neuropsychiatrist, and may be followed by an assessment by a neuropsychologist. However, there are exceptions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98c0673 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"98c0673\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-87d2c88 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/2026\/06\/18\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-calendar\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M12 192h424c6.6 0 12 5.4 12 12v260c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V204c0-6.6 5.4-12 12-12zm436-44v-36c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48h-48V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H160V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v36c0 6.6 5.4 12 12 12h424c6.6 0 12-5.4 12-12z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>18 June 2026<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52a5d69f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"52a5d69f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7135\" src=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/falhas-de-memoria.webp\" alt=\"Mulher adulta em perfil com express\u00e3o pensativa, enquanto mem\u00f3rias representadas por fotografias, rostos, chaves, livros, rel\u00f3gios e apontamentos se dissipam em part\u00edculas luminosas \u00e0 sua volta, ilustrando falhas de mem\u00f3ria, esquecimento e dificuldades de recorda\u00e7\u00e3o associadas ao envelhecimento cognitivo e \u00e0 sa\u00fade cerebral.\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/falhas-de-memoria.webp 1536w, https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/falhas-de-memoria-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/falhas-de-memoria-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/falhas-de-memoria-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/falhas-de-memoria-18x12.webp 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><\/p><h2>The Specialist You Should Book an Appointment With to Assess Memory Problems<\/h2><p>When your memory starts to fail you more than you\u2019d like, you sometimes find yourself wondering who to turn to.<\/p><p><strong>GP? General practitioner? Neurologist? Psychiatrist? Psychologist? Neuropsychologist?<\/strong><\/p><p>The answer depends on the type of faults observed and the associated symptoms. Choosing the right course of action from the outset saves time, resources and unnecessary anxiety.<\/p><p><strong>This article has a specific aim<\/strong>: to help him realise <strong>which specialisms are right for you<\/strong> \u2014 and in what order it is best to look for them.<\/p><h2>Before Booking an Appointment: What You Need to Know About Reversible Causes<\/h2><p>Many people have<strong> fear <\/strong>that memory failures may be<strong> an early sign of dementia (e.g. <a href=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/alzheimer\/\">Alzheimer's disease<\/a>). <\/strong><\/p><p>However, the <strong>most of the<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/perturbacoes-da-memoria\/\"><strong>memory errors<\/strong><\/a> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>it is not of neurodegenerative origin<\/strong><\/span> (progressive and irreversible loss of the structure and function of neurons).<\/p><p>Some of the most common reasons for forgetting things are:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Chronic stress<\/strong><\/li><li><strong> depression<\/strong><\/li><li><strong> sleep deprivation<\/strong><\/li><li><strong> vitamin B12 deficiency<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>hypothyroidism<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><p>With the right treatment, these causes are <strong>reversible<\/strong>.<\/p><p>Figuring out whether any of these causes lie behind the forgetfulness is the <strong>first step<\/strong> of any clinical assessment.<\/p><p>Before any specialist diagnosis is made, <strong>blood tests<\/strong> \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tuasaude.com\/alimentos-ricos-em-vitamina-b12\/\">vitamin B12<\/a>, thyroid function, metabolic markers \u2014 can identify simple causes that explain what appears to be a serious neurological problem.<\/p><p>O <strong>GP<\/strong> You can and should ask for them.<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7131 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/avaliacao-neuropsicologica.webp\" alt=\"Neuropsic\u00f3loga jovem de bata branca a observar atentamente um paciente, homem de meia-idade, com \u00f3culos, enquanto este completa um teste cognitivo em papel, numa sala de consulta moderna com luz natural, estantes com livros e ambiente cl\u00ednico acolhedor. Representa\u00e7\u00e3o de uma sess\u00e3o de avalia\u00e7\u00e3o neuropsicol\u00f3gica.\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/avaliacao-neuropsicologica.webp 1536w, https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/avaliacao-neuropsicologica-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/avaliacao-neuropsicologica-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/avaliacao-neuropsicologica-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/avaliacao-neuropsicologica-18x12.webp 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p><h2>The Consultation Process: Which Specialist to See and When<\/h2><h3>GP: always the first step<\/h3><p>Regardless of the symptoms, a consultation with your GP is, if possible, the recommended first step.<\/p><p>The GP <strong>assesses the simpler global context<\/strong> (current medication, emotional state, medical history, etc.), orders the initial tests and may refer the patient to the appropriate specialist.<\/p><p>In some cases, the cause is identified and resolved here.<\/p><h3>Neurologist or neuropsychiatrist: progressive deterioration or suspected organic cause<\/h3><p>O <a href=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/neurologia\/\"><strong>neurologist<\/strong><\/a> He is the go-to specialist when memory loss is progressive, affects a person\u2019s independence, or when initial tests indicate changes in the brain.<\/p><ul><li><strong>Assesses the neurological pathways;<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Requests neuroimaging where necessary (MRI, CT scan);<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>It establishes the differential diagnosis between normal ageing, mild cognitive impairment and dementia.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><p>He is also the specialist to consult in cases of <strong>sudden memory loss<\/strong> or accompanied by other neurological symptoms.<\/p><p>When the <strong>memory errors<\/strong> occur alongside anxiety, low mood, insomnia or significant emotional distress, the <strong>neuropsychiatry<\/strong> It is the most comprehensive specialism.<\/p><p>It deals with the component at the same time <strong>neurological<\/strong> e <strong>mental<\/strong> \u2014 essential because these dimensions feed off one another <strong>mutually<\/strong> and are rarely resolved separately.<\/p><h3>Neuropsychologist: pinpointing exactly what is going wrong<\/h3><p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/neuropsicologia\/\"><strong>neuropsychological assessment<\/strong><\/a> It\u2019s not a doctor\u2019s appointment \u2014 it\u2019s a <strong>diagnostic tool <\/strong>(very important).<\/p><p>Using standardised tests, it accurately identifies <strong>which cognitive functions are affected<\/strong> (memory, attention, language, executive functions) and in which <strong>degree<\/strong>.<\/p><p>It is essential when the diagnosis is uncertain, or when one wishes to <strong>to distinguish between normal age-related decline and pathological impairment<\/strong>, or to <strong>draw up a plan for<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/reabilitacao-cognitiva\/\"><strong>cognitive rehabilitation<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p><div class=\"dica-valiosa\">Before your first appointment, keep a record for a week: note which situations cause problems most often, whether they get worse with stress or lack of sleep, and whether any family members have mentioned any changes. Keeping this record significantly speeds up the diagnosis and helps the specialist to focus the assessment right from the first appointment!<\/div><h2>When to See a Specialist Directly \u2014 Without Going via Your GP<\/h2><p>There are situations in which the <strong>the urgency of diagnosis<\/strong> justifies bypassing the usual screening process and booking an appointment directly with a neurologist or neuropsychiatrist:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Memory loss <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">sudden<\/span> or which has taken hold over the course of days or weeks<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Disorientation in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">familiar places<\/span><\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Difficulty in recognising <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">close friends and family<\/span><\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Faults accompanied by <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">language changes<\/span>, vision or balance<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Changes in personality or behaviour <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">noted by the family<\/span><\/strong><\/li><\/ul><p>These signs may indicate conditions that warrant prompt assessment.<\/p><div class=\"nota-importante\">Even if you do not recognise these symptoms <strong>It can sometimes be wiser to book an appointment with the specialist directly<\/strong> rather than waiting for a referral from their GP and putting up with the hassles of the referral process. The <strong>early diagnosis<\/strong> significantly increases treatment success rates.<\/div><h2>Treatments Other Than Medication<\/h2><p>Once the cause has been identified, the <strong>treatment plan<\/strong> goes far beyond pharmacology.<\/p><p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/estimulacao-magnetica-transcraniana\/\"><strong>Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)<\/strong><\/a> has documented results in the <strong>improvement in cognitive functions<\/strong>, particularly when the case involves <strong>depression<\/strong> or <strong>cortical dysregulation<\/strong>.<\/p><p>O <a href=\"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/neurofeedback-e-qeeg\/\"><strong>Neurofeedback<\/strong><\/a> It may also be helpful in stabilising patterns of brain activity associated with the <strong>memory processing<\/strong>a, and improving the ability to <strong>to encode<\/strong> e <strong>retrieve information<\/strong>.<\/p><p>Treatment should <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">always<\/span> to look at a person as a whole<\/strong> and tackle the root causes of the problem, with the <strong>cognitive work<\/strong> carried out by the neuropsychologist at the centre, and other therapeutic approaches that help to rehabilitate the <strong>memory<\/strong>, o <strong>reasoning<\/strong> and <strong>overall brain capacity<\/strong>.<\/p><div class=\"pontos-chave\"><h2>\ud83e\udde0 Key Points to Retain<\/h2><ul><li>The GP is usually the first port of call: they assess the overall situation, order tests to rule out reversible causes, and refer the patient to the appropriate specialist.<\/li><li>A neurologist should be consulted when symptoms are progressive, affect a person\u2019s ability to look after themselves, or where a structural cause in the brain is suspected.<\/li><li>A neuropsychiatrist is the specialist to consult when memory problems occur alongside anxiety, depression or sleep disorders.<\/li><li>Neuropsychological assessment is the most accurate tool for mapping a person\u2019s cognitive profile \u2014 and is essential in cases of uncertain diagnosis or when planning rehabilitation.<\/li><li>Sudden memory loss, disorientation in familiar surroundings or changes in speech warrant immediate and urgent specialist assessment.<\/li><li>EMT, neurofeedback and cognitive rehabilitation are therapeutic options with documented results, with medication used as a complementary treatment.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">FAQs \u2013 Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/h2><h3>Which department should I book an appointment with for memory problems?<\/h3><p>It depends on the associated symptoms. If the symptoms are accompanied by anxiety, low mood or insomnia, a neuropsychiatrist is the most appropriate choice. If they are progressive and affect your ability to look after yourself without any apparent emotional component, start by seeing a neurologist. In any case, your GP is always a good place to start.<\/p><h3>Should I have a neuropsychological assessment before seeing the doctor?<\/h3><p>Not necessarily. A neuropsychological assessment is usually requested by a specialist doctor when they need to accurately identify which cognitive functions are affected. In some cases, it can be carried out independently as a starting point \u2014 but ideally it should form part of an assessment plan guided by a specialist.<\/p><h3>Do memory lapses caused by depression improve with treatment?<\/h3><p>Yes, often completely. Depression can cause symptoms that mimic dementia \u2014 slow thinking, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating. When depression is treated, cognitive function tends to recover without the need for further intervention to improve memory.<\/p><h3>Can neurofeedback help with memory lapses?<\/h3><p>Yes, especially when these difficulties are linked to attention deficits, anxiety or dysregulated brain activity patterns. By stabilising these patterns, neurofeedback improves the ability to focus \u2014 the first prerequisite for memory to function properly.<\/p><h3>How long does it take to get a diagnosis?<\/h3><p>It depends on the cause and the course of treatment. Reversible causes such as hypothyroidism or vitamin B12 deficiency can be identified in an initial round of tests. More complex diagnoses \u2014 such as mild cognitive impairment or early-onset dementia \u2014 may require neuropsychological assessment, neuroimaging and more than one consultation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Resposta curta: Quando surgem falhas de mem\u00f3ria frequentes e persistentes, o ponto de partida \u00e9 o m\u00e9dico de fam\u00edlia, mas a avalia\u00e7\u00e3o especializada pertence ao neurologista ou neuropsiquiatra, podendo ter posterior avalia\u00e7\u00e3o de um neuropsic\u00f3logo. Mas existem exce\u00e7\u00f5es. A Especialidade Que Deve Marcar Para Avaliar Falhas de Mem\u00f3ria Quando a mem\u00f3ria come\u00e7a a falhar mais [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7135,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[45],"class_list":["post-7062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-geral","tag-novo-layout"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7062"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7062\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7138,"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7062\/revisions\/7138"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neuropsiquiatria.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}