Transient global amneisa history and symptoms

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Hasnain Ali Moryani, MBBS.

History

Transient global amnesia typically presents with a sudden onset of memory disturbance in a middle-aged or older person.^[1]
The episode is characterized by complete inability to retain new information for several hours.^[2]˒^[3]
During the attack, there is anterograde amnesia together with a period of retrograde amnesia that may extend back for hours, days, or longer.^[3]
Patients often reveal their difficulty through repetitive, stereotyped questions, sometimes asked repeatedly at short intervals.^[2]
Personal identity is preserved, and patients can usually state their name and recognize close relatives.^[3]

Episodes may be preceded by physical or mental shock or extreme exertion, such as cold-water exposure, news of a death, sexual intercourse, assault, medical procedures, or severe pain, although many cases have no obvious precipitant.^[1]

Symptoms

Sudden inability to form new memories.^[2]˒^[3]
Retrograde memory loss for a period before the event.^[3]
Repetitive questioning.^[2]
Preserved alertness and preservation of other cognitive functions apart from memory.^[3]
No loss of personal identity.^[3]
After the episode, some patients report a mild headache.
Nausea and dizziness have been reported infrequently.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Miller JW, Petersen RC, Metter EJ, Millikan CH, Yanagihara T (May 1987). “Transient global amnesia: clinical characteristics and prognosis”. Neurology. 37 (5): 733–7. doi:10.1212/wnl.37.5.733. PMID 3574671.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 Caplan LR (October 2022). “Transient global amnesia. What’s in a name?”. J Neurol Sci. 441: 120348. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2022.120348. PMID 35940029 Check |pmid= value (help).
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 ^3.6 Hodges JR, Warlow CP (October 1990). “Syndromes of transient amnesia: towards a classification. A study of 153 cases”. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 53 (10): 834–43. doi:10.1136/jnnp.53.10.834. PMC 488242. PMID 2266362.

History