Transient Global Amnesia

Acute-onset inability to form new memories (cause unknown)
  • Age >50, usually older
  • Duration 1-10 hours
  • Confusion; patient asks repeated questions
  • Not disoriented to person (knows own name)
  • Maybe some amnesia for past events (retrograde)
  • No loss of awareness of environment
  • Able to perform complex tasks (drive, cook, play piano, etc)
Usually presents same-day to ER
  • Tx: Observation
  • Diagnosis is clinical
  • Usually does not recur

See postings on Loss of Consciousness LOC-1 and LOC-2.