Importance Transient global amnesia (TGA) is usually considered a benign event with a low recurrence rate. Shared Decision Making and Communication.Scientific Discovery and the Future of Medicine.Health Care Economics, Insurance, Payment.Clinical Implications of Basic Neuroscience.Challenges in Clinical Electrocardiography.Dr Elizabeth Ko is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Universal Features Syndicateĭr Eve Glazier is an internist and associate professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Once an episode ends, it is uncommon for symptoms to recur. Physical symptoms commonly begin to improve within hours of the onset of TGA, and anterograde memory gradually returns. This includes keeping the person safe and comfortable and managing their anxiety. The focus is on supportive care for the duration of the episode. The person is also examined for evidence of head trauma. Imaging scans, such as an MRI, are used to rule out stroke and other adverse neurological events. The process often includes measuring blood glucose and electrolyte levels, and screening for alcohol, drugs and toxins. This is known as a diagnosis of exclusion. As a result, diagnosis consists of ruling out any other possible causes for the individual’s symptoms. At this time, however, they remain unproven. Theories have pointed to strenuous activity, high stress, hypertension, migraine, vascular congestion, depression, exhaustion and anxiety as potential triggers for an episode. Anxiety or headache can also occur.Īlthough the condition has been recognised and studied since the mid-1950s, the exact cause of TGA is not yet understood. Physical symptoms can include the dizziness that you experienced, which in some cases can lead to feeling nauseated and vomiting. Rather, it occurs because a memory of having asked the question, as well as the answer, is not being formed. The repetition of these questions is not due to a lapse in cognition. Because TGA includes a loss of understanding of time and place, the person often repeatedly asks where they are and what time it is. The primary symptoms are appearing disoriented or confused. There are no known neurological deficits associated with this condition.Įpisodes of transient global retrograde amnesia typically occur in middle-aged and older individuals. It is not a stroke, nor is it a precursor to a stroke. While this all sounds quite alarming and can be frightening to go through, TGA is considered a benign event. That includes the ability to recognise people and places, and to carry out their skill set of tasks and activities. When someone experiences an episode of TGA, their long-term memory remains intact. TGA is marked by a lapse in anterograde memory, the term for the brain’s ability to learn new information and to retain it. Episodes last less than 24 hours and are typically far shorter than that. This is a type of memory disturbance that occurs suddenly, and, as the word “transient” describes, is temporary. What causes it? How dangerous is it to have a TGA?ĭEAR READER: Your medical team has determined that you experienced what is known as transient global amnesia. My husband says I called him and asked for help, and he called 911. The next thing I knew, I was at the hospital. DEAR DOCTORS: I was recently home alone, and I remember feeling dizzy.
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