# Is there a technical name for a "brain fart"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 8, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857 "2006-04-08T14:13:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/1 "2006-04-08T14:13:46Z")
What’s the fancy-schmancy technical term for suddenly being unable something that you routinely know without really thinking about it? For example, I have an ID code that I punch in to my work computer to check my schedule, log in and out of the time clock, etc. Yesterday I could not for the life of me remember it when it came time for lunch. I stumbled on it after punching in a few likely combinations and remembered it long enough to punch back in after lunch, but then immediately could not recall it again. Some clever PhD candidate must have named this phenomenon by now. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/2 "2006-04-08T14:17:41Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] What’s the fancy-schmancy technical term for suddenly being unable something that you routinely know without really thinking about it? For example, I have an ID code that I punch in to my work computer to check my schedule, log in and out of the time clock, etc. Yesterday I could not for the life of me remember it when it came time for lunch. I stumbled on it after punching in a few likely combinations and remembered it long enough to punch back in after lunch, but then immediately could not recall it again. Some clever PhD candidate must have named this phenomenon by now. [/QUOTE] CRS? ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/3 "2006-04-08T14:52:23Z")
I got it right on the tip of my tongue. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/4 "2006-04-08T15:25:47Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] What’s the fancy-schmancy technical term for suddenly being unable something that you routinely know without really thinking about it? For example, I have an ID code that I punch in to my work computer to check my schedule, log in and out of the time clock, etc. Yesterday I could not for the life of me remember it when it came time for lunch. I stumbled on it after punching in a few likely combinations and remembered it long enough to punch back in after lunch, but then immediately could not recall it again. Some clever PhD candidate must have named this phenomenon by now. [/QUOTE] It’s a form of pre-Alzheimer’s known as CRAFT\* Syndrome. \*Can’t Remember a Frikkin’ Thing ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/5 "2006-04-08T15:28:59Z")
Um, yeah, could we maybe see if there’s an actual answer before burying the thread in lame jokes? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/6 "2006-04-08T15:46:34Z")
Cortical flatus. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/7 "2006-04-08T16:01:33Z")
Apparently we can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/8 "2006-04-08T16:13:24Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Um, yeah, could we maybe see if there’s an actual answer before burying the thread in lame jokes? [/QUOTE] Very well. _Lethologica_ is the inability to recall the correct word; _lethonomia_ is the inability to recall the correct name. I imagine a word could be coined for inability to recall the correct number. _Aprosexia_ is the inability to concentrate. The difficulty is that if you have these conditions it is almost impossible to recall the words when you have occasion to use them. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/9 "2006-04-08T16:16:34Z")
How about “lacuna?” One definition is–n 1: a blank gap or missing part. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/10 "2006-04-08T20:18:24Z")
[QUOTE=SmartAleq] How about “lacuna?” One definition is–n 1: a blank gap or missing part. [/QUOTE] I have actually heard brain farts called this. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/11 "2006-04-08T20:36:22Z")
You want to avoid “lacuna” because it would be confused with [lacunar infarct](http://www.neuropat.dote.hu/uj/5298/5298df.htm). We don’t want **Otto** to go around thinking there’s a tiny hole in his brain for every factoid that momentarily escapes him. My personal theory, based on many years of research while soaking in the bathtub, is that when one tries to remember something and can’t recall it immediately, there is a panic circuit that ensues, sort of like a rat in a maze. The feedback prompts more disorganization and panic, only on that one factoid. Undoubtedly it is due to a temporary derangement in neurotransmitter function, not to worry. “Brain fart” is an accepted term which appears in _Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease_. Page 1286. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/12 "2006-04-08T22:30:48Z")
Isn’t the tip of the tongue thing called aphasia? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-technical-name-for-a-brain-fart/351857/13 "2006-04-08T23:16:08Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] Isn’t the tip of the tongue thing called aphasia? [/QUOTE] No, aphasia is a lot more serious than a temporary inability to think of a word: > [@](#): > > Main Entry: apha·sia > : loss or impairment of the power to use or comprehend words usually resulting from brain damage