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Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a rare condition where someone experiences a sudden and short-lived period of short-term memory loss. During a period of TGA, a person may know who you are and be able to tell you their name, but at the same time not know where they are or what you said 10 seconds ago. That said, TGA is not serious and people don't generally experience complications. Nonetheless, it can be very scary, both to experience and to witness.
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Transient global amnesia (TGA) is an unusual medical condition in which a person experiences a sudden period of short-term memory loss.
TGA is quite rare: in the general US population, for instance, it affects between five to 10 people in every 100,000. However, the number is higher in people aged over 50.
During an episode of TGA, people are unable to create new memories, and their memory of recent events disappears.
While TGA is not serious, it can be frightening, so it is worth knowing the signs. Let’s start by looking at the symptoms.
There are four symptoms that you must have to be diagnosed with TGA. The first is a sudden onset of confusion that includes memory loss. It must be seen by a witness.
The second symptom is the ability to remain alert and know who you are, despite memory loss, which might cause you to forget where you are and how you got there.
Next up is normal cognition. Despite memory loss, someone with TGA will be able to recognize and name familiar objects, as well as follow simple instructions.
It is important to seek immediate medical attention for anyone who seems to go quickly from normal awareness of reality to confusion about what just happened.
While TGA is not dangerous, it can be difficult to tell this condition apart from other, much more serious conditions that also cause memory loss.
Also on the list of potential triggers are sexual intercourse, certain medical procedures such as angiography or endoscopy, mild head trauma, and being emotionally upset.
A person's sex does not seem to influence their risk profile either, although age certainly does. People aged 50 or over are at higher risk of TGA than younger people.
When it comes to diagnosing TGA, there is no specific test. Instead, doctors will rule out all other possible causes of amnesia before diagnosing TGA.
Bear in mind that even if you are diagnosed with TGA, there is no specific treatment. The episode will last a maximum of 24 hours, and then your memory function should return to normal.
As soon as your memory function returns to normal, you will be able to make new memories, but you will not remember anything that happened during the episode.
Your medical team will usually keep you in hospital until the episode of amnesia is over, just to be sure that there is no underlying medical cause and that you don’t develop other symptoms.
There are usually no long-term complications with TGA, and in most cases people recover completely. It is not a risk factor for stroke or epilepsy.
In rare cases, however, TGA can result in longer-lasting memory problems. This problem only tends to occur in people who have repeated episodes.
Repeated episodes are very uncommon–less than 10% of people who experience TGA have a second episode.
You might have heard of people referring to TGA as a ‘mini stroke.’ However, it is important to note that these are two different conditions.
Sudden memory loss is generally the sole symptom of TGA, whereas a mini stroke has the same symptoms as a stroke, i.e. a severe headache and numbness or weakness, especially on one side.
If someone presents with stroke symptoms, it is very important that they go to the emergency room immediately.
In the case of TGA symptoms, it is also important to seek medical attention, since, although the condition is not serious, it can be tricky to diagnose.
Sources: (Mayo Clinic) (Cleveland Clinic)
What happens during transient global amnesia?
When short-term memory suddenly goes
HEALTH Memory
Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a rare condition where someone experiences a sudden and short-lived period of short-term memory loss. During a period of TGA, a person may know who you are and be able to tell you their name, but at the same time not know where they are or what you said 10 seconds ago. That said, TGA is not serious and people don't generally experience complications. Nonetheless, it can be very scary, both to experience and to witness.
Intrigued? Check out this gallery to learn more.