Frankie Muniz in 2000 and 2017. Brenda Chase/Frazer Harrison/Getty

The INSIDER Summary:

Frankie Muniz starred on "Malcolm in the Middle" from 2000 to 2006.

Now he's a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars."

In a recent episode he revealed that he suffers from memory loss and doesn't remember his time on the show.

He suspects that concussions and mini-strokes might be at fault.



Most people remember Frankie Muniz as the titular character on the sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle." But Muniz — now 31 and competing on the reality series "Dancing with the Stars" — doesn't share those memories with fans.

In a pre-taped interview from Monday night's DWTS episode, Muniz revealed that he suffers from memory loss, Entertainment Weekly reports. He said he has essentially no memory of his years as a child star.

"Most people would think that my most memorable year would be the year 'Malcolm in the Middle' started, because it allowed me to live all these dreams of mine," Muniz said. "But the truth is I don't really remember much of that. It almost feels like it wasn't me. There's no negative feelings. I just don't necessarily remember."

The reason behind his memory loss is still unclear. Muniz went on to say that he's suffered nine concussions and "a fair amount" of mini strokes in his life. (After "Malcolm," he worked as a professional race car driver, suffering some serious injuries behind the wheel, according to People.)

Frankie Muniz at a race in 2008. Frederick M. Brown/Getty

In his DWTS interview, Muniz said the concussions and mini strokes "could be" connected to his memory loss. But he also admitted that he's never actually asked a doctor if the two are linked. The Mayo Clinic notes that memory loss can be triggered by a variety of health problems, from vitamin deficiency to mood disorders, and Muniz apparently hasn't confirmed the root cause of his.

But it is certainly possible that his multiple concussions played a role. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that happens when a hit to the head or body make the brain move rapidly back and forth inside the skull, causing a temporary loss of normal brain function. Though most concussions don't have long-term effects, repeated TBIs — like the kind Muniz experienced — may add up to "cumulative" neurological problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Mini strokes (technically known as transient ischemic attacks, or TIAs) are just like regular strokes. They happen when a clot blocks blood flow to part of the brain. The difference is that the blockage in TIAs is only temporary. In rare cares, TIAs can cause short-term memory loss, according to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, but that doesn't seem to be what Muniz is experiencing. And in general, the Mayo Clinic notes that most TIAs last just a few minutes and cause no permanent damage.

The cast of "Malcolm in the Middle" in 2000. Kevin Winter/Getty

To Muniz, it doesn't seem to matter whether or not the concussions or mini strokes contributed to his memory problems. According to his DWTS interview, he's not dwelling on the heartbreak of lost memories.

"My most memorable year is 2017 because I've learned to live in the present," he said. "I'm happy with my acting career, I'm happy with the decision I made to go race cars and to focus on music. Even if I don't remember it all, I'm happy."

Watch his interview in full below: