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Transient global amnesia: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
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Transient global amnesia is a memory disorder caused by central vascular or ischemic damage. Diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, CT and MRI (to assess cerebral circulation). Amnesia usually resolves on its own, but may recur. There is no specific treatment for transient global amnesia; the underlying disorder is treated.
Transient global amnesia most often develops against the background of transient ischemia (due to atherosclerosis, thrombosis, thromboembolism), causing bilateral dysfunction of the posteromedial thalamus or hippocampus, but can develop after an epileptic seizure or migraine attack.
Short-term amnesia for current events may occur after taking alcohol, large doses of barbiturates, small doses of benzodiazepines (midazolam and triazolam), and some other illicit drugs.
Symptoms of transient global amnesia
During an attack, complete disorientation is observed, which lasts from 30-60 minutes to 12 hours or more, combined with retrograde amnesia, sometimes extending to events of the last few years. Orientation in time and space is lost, but orientation in one's own personality is preserved. Patients are usually restless and excited, constantly trying to figure out what happened. At the same time, speech function, attention, visual-spatial and social skills are preserved. Disorders regress as the disease reverses. Relapses are unlikely, except for cases induced by seizures and migraines.
Transient amnesia after the use of alcohol and centrally acting drugs is characterized by a selectively retrograde nature (loss of events before and during drug intake), the absence of confusion (during the resolution of acute intoxication) and the likelihood of relapse only with repeated intake of the same amounts of the drug.
The diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical symptoms. Neurological examination usually does not reveal any abnormalities, except for amnesia.
Prognosis and treatment of transient global amnesia
The prognosis is favorable. Symptoms usually resolve within 24 hours. When symptoms resolve, amnesia disappears, but memory for events during the attack may be lost. The lifetime recurrence rate varies from 5 to 25%.
It is recommended to exclude cerebral ischemia (stroke, thrombosis or thromboembolism) using CT or MRI (with or without angiography). The list of laboratory tests includes a complete blood count, determination of coagulation parameters. EEG is indicated only if epilepsy is suspected.
There is no specific treatment. The underlying disease should be treated: ischemia or epilepsy.