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Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions โ€” written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Transient global amneisa natural history, complications and prognosis

Introduction

Natural History of the Disease

Natural History of the Disease

  • Transient global amnesia is a sudden, reversible syndrome of memory disturbance characterized by complete anterograde amnesia and a variable period of retrograde amnesia.[1]
  • The episode usually lasts for several hours and gradually resolves as the patient regains the ability to form new memories.[1]
  • During recovery, the period of retrograde memory loss gradually shrinks from days or hours to minutes.[1]
  • The episode leaves a permanent gap in memory for the period of the attack and for several hours before its onset.[1]
  • In a retrospective series of 277 cases, episodes lasted a mean of 6 hours, with most lasting 2 to 12 hours.[2]
  • In most series, approximately 15% of patients have had more than one episode, with an average interval between episodes of about 2 years.[2]
  • Almost two thirds of patients with recurrent episodes had three or more definite or probable episodes.[2]
  • Estimates of recurrence frequency and intervals have varied among studies.[1]ห’[2]ห’[3]
Complications

Complications

  • After the episode, some patients have a mild headache.[1]
  • Nausea and dizziness have been reported infrequently.[1]
  • The neurologic examination is normal during and after the episode.[1]
  • A permanent memory gap remains for the epoch of the episode and for a period before onset.[1]
  • Extensive evaluation is generally not necessary unless there are atypical features suggesting another diagnosis such as transient ischemic attack, stroke, seizure, or postconcussive amnesia.[1]
Prognosis

Prognosis

  • The overall prognosis is good.[1]
  • Transient global amnesia is described as a benign, self-limited disorder.[1]
  • Approximately 15% of patients experience recurrences years later.[1]ห’[2]
  • Analyses from several series indicate that the risk of subsequent ischemic stroke is not increased after transient global amnesia, although one propensity-matched study suggested a minimally higher risk.[4]ห’[5]ห’[6]
  • Despite many theories, the cause remains unknown.[1]
References

References

  1. โ†‘ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 BENDER MB (March 1960). “Single episode of confusion with amnesia”. Bull N Y Acad Med. 36 (3): 197โ€“207. PMCย 1806291. PMIDย 13798787.
  2. โ†‘ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Miller JW, Petersen RC, Metter EJ, Millikan CH, Yanagihara T (May 1987). “Transient global amnesia: clinical characteristics and prognosis”. Neurology. 37 (5): 733โ€“7. doi:10.1212/wnl.37.5.733. PMIDย 3574671.
  3. โ†‘ Morris KA, Rabinstein AA, Young NP (December 2020). “Factors Associated With Risk of Recurrent Transient Global Amnesia”. JAMA Neurol. 77 (12): 1551โ€“1558. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.2943. PMCย 7489420 Check |pmc= value (help). PMIDย 32865551 Check |pmid= value (help).
  4. โ†‘ Zorzon M, Antonutti L, Masรจ G, Biasutti E, Vitrani B, Cazzato G (September 1995). “Transient global amnesia and transient ischemic attack. Natural history, vascular risk factors, and associated conditions”. Stroke. 26 (9): 1536โ€“42. doi:10.1161/01.str.26.9.1536. PMIDย 7660394.
  5. โ†‘ Mangla A, Navi BB, Layton K, Kamel H (February 2014). “Transient global amnesia and the risk of ischemic stroke”. Stroke. 45 (2): 389โ€“93. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.113.003916. PMCย 3946840. PMIDย 24309586.
  6. โ†‘ Lee SH, Kim KY, Lee JW, Park SJ, Jung JM (April 2022). “Risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with transient global amnesia: a propensity-matched cohort study”. Stroke Vasc Neurol. 7 (2): 101โ€“107. doi:10.1136/svn-2021-001006. PMCย 9067272 Check |pmc= value (help). PMIDย 34702748 Check |pmid= value (help).

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