Many people are accustomed to cutting off the edge of a loaf bread before eating it claiming that eating it causes "one to forget."
R. Chaim Kanievski, author of "ספר זכרון," an entire pamphlet on matters that cause forgetfulness and things that help memory was asked many times if this is true and he said no. In his father's house they would eat the edges of the bread. (ספר דולה ומשקה ע' שס"ב. הליכות חיים ח"ב אות קיא)
However, R Yitzchak Weiss, Dayan of Manchester and subsequently the Eidah Hachareidis in Jerusalem, was asked this question and replied that although there is no source, so is the widespread custom and it should not be treated lightly. He personally was careful with it. (שו"ת מנחת יצחק ח"ט סי' ח אות ז)
Two possible explanations for this custom:
1. The Torah strictly warns us not to eat any "Orlah," which in a broader sense can refer to the powers of kelipah that are vested in the edges of the bread according to kaballah. (טעמי המנהגים אות קע"ו בהגה)
2. It is stated that anyone who does not leave over some bread on his table does not ever see brachah in his life. (שו"ע או"ח סי' ק"פ ס"ב). Mindful of this, people were careful to leave over the end of the bread, and from this the custom developed. (שו"ת משנה הלכות חי"א סי' קמ"ח)
ועי' בשו"ת משנה הלכות שם שנותן טעם לשבח למה זה גורם לשכחה
ועי' בספר "זכר עשה" (אוהב ציון, ירושלים תשס"ז) פרק ו אות קמט שפוסק שאין להזהר בזה
See here, and here, and here
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