What type of memory is primarily affected in anterograde amnesia?

Anterograde amnesia primarily affects the formation of new long-term memories following the onset of the condition. Individuals with anterograde amnesia are often capable of recalling long-term memories from before the trauma or incident that led to their amnesia, but they struggle to convert new information into long-term memory.

This condition shows that while short-term memory can be intact and immediate memory might remain unaffected, the critical process of transferring information from short-term memory to long-term memory is where the disruption occurs. As a result, the correct understanding is that long-term memory, specifically the ability to form new long-term memories, is primarily affected in anterograde amnesia.

This distinction is essential because it emphasizes that while short-term and working memory might still function normally, the inability to retain new information distinguishes anterograde amnesia and highlights the critical role of long-term memory processes in overall cognitive function.