Case Report of Transient Global Amnesia

Karin Reed Mark Langdorf

doi:10.4172/2165-7548.1000163

Abstract

A 62 y/o female with no significant past medical history, presented with confusion, disorientation and short- term memory loss for approximately one hour prior to arrival in the Emergency Department (ED). She recalled driving to work and then suddenly felt like she was in a “dream-like state”, and could not recall any events since that time. She arrived at work, where a security guard found her wandering around confused and 911 was called. EMS arrived to find patient on the bathroom floor, disoriented. On arrival to the ED, she was alert but oriented only to self. She kept repeating the same questions: “Am I having a dream?”, and “How did I get here?” She was feeling well and acting appropriate the night before, according to her husband. She could, with some effort and concentration, remember the names of her husband and children. She took no medications, and family history was negative for stroke or seizure.

Highlights

The differential diagnosis for Transient Global Amnesia (TGA) includes complex partial seizures, a post-ictal state, psychogenic amnesia, cerebro vascular insufficiency or thrombus, migraine, toxin or drug effect, head injury, metabolic abnormality, high altitudes, tumor, cerebral bleed, or encephalitis (Figure 1) [1,2,3]
TGA is defined as the sudden-onset of anterograde memory loss, with impairment of orientation in space and time and inability to form new memories or retain new information, usually in persons >50
CT head is the preferred initial study when a patient presents with an acute focal neurological deficit, and is typically negative in TGA

Summary

Introduction

The differential diagnosis for Transient Global Amnesia (TGA) includes complex partial seizures, a post-ictal state, psychogenic amnesia, cerebro vascular insufficiency or thrombus, migraine, toxin or drug effect, head injury, metabolic abnormality, high altitudes, tumor, cerebral bleed, or encephalitis (Figure 1) [1,2,3]. TGA is defined as the sudden-onset of anterograde memory loss, with impairment of orientation in space and time and inability to form new memories or retain new information, usually in persons >50. Due to the sudden-onset of symptoms, anxiety is common, and it is typical for patients to perseverate, asking the same questions repeatedly- often with similar gestures and vocal intonation [1,3,6].

Results

Conclusion