Final answer:
The young man's temporary memory issue, in which he couldn't recall words shortly after hearing them, suggests the involvement of brain regions such as the hippocampus which is associated with declarative or explicit memory. Hodgkin's lymphoma can lead to antibodies attacking the nervous system and affecting memory. Memory recovery indicates the reversible nature of the neurological impact.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the case of a young man with a sudden onset of memory issues which led to the discovery of Hodgkin's lymphoma affecting his immune system, it's clear that the antibodies produced in response to the cancer likely attacked parts of his nervous system. As the patient temporarily lost the ability to recall specific words and events, but eventually regained most of his memory functions, it is plausible that regions associated with short-term and explicit memory were affected, such as the hippocampus and related temporal lobe structures. This type of memory involved with the conscious recall of factual information and events is referred to as declarative or explicit memory.
Memory and Brain Regions:
Memory processing is a complex cognitive function, and different types of memory are associated with various regions of the brain. Declarative or explicit memory, which includes the recall of facts and events, is heavily linked to the function of the hippocampus, one of the most studied memory-related brain structures. Temporary memory deficits like those experienced by the young man can be indicative of reversible damage or hindered functionality in these areas, potentially caused by inflammatory responses against neural tissues.