Wrestler, it's funny how when I read everyone else's posts here that they sound like something I would write. That tells me that the things we experience and feel are most likely directly related to the anxiety/panic/depression.
I have what I think are memory issues as well. Exactly like you are experiencing. But I don't think it is anything necessarily wrong with the brain, other than being focused on other things like worry. How I figured this out was the fact that if I commit to remembering something, I can do it. I'm a member of the Freemasons and as such I had to memorize extensive texts to qualify as a Master Mason.
You know that saying, "He gave us the third degree." That comes from Masonry and means a long winded speech when used like that. Well, I memorized the third degree. How they heck can I do that if I really have an issue with my brain? I couldn't. I suspect you have a lot of complex things memorized as well, especially with your background in physiology, nutrition, knowing chemicals and different bugs and such.
I still walk into other rooms and forget why. I still forget simple things. Now I just use those moments as cues to slow my mind down a bit and get back to the here and now.
My mom calls it living in the hereafter. She goes into another room and thinks, "Now what am I here after?" LOL!
It'll get better as you practice calming your mind down. Keep working on the CBT.
What Davit recommends is very good too. There are many things we can do to help us remember things by using different cues or mnemonics, little tricks to help the memory. Do a search on the word mnemonics and you can learn a few.