scholarly journals Transient global amnesia: Isolated event or healthy predictor? Clinical experience of an Italian Emergency Department

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Greta Barbieri ◽  
Alessandro Cipriano ◽  
Simona Luly ◽  
Viola Del Nista ◽  
Eugenio Orsitto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Transient Global Amnesia ◽  
Anterograde Amnesia ◽  
Acute Onset ◽  
Clinical Syndrome ◽  
Neurological Symptoms ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Benign Pathology ◽  
Global Amnesia

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a clinical syndrome characterized by reversible anterograde amnesia, in which the patient is alert, self-awareness appears intact and other neurological symptoms are absent. The diagnosis is based on the following criteria: i) witnessed event; ii) acute onset of anterograde amnesia; iii) no accompanying neurological symptoms; iv) no alteration of consciousness; v) no epileptic features; vi) resolution within 24 hours; vii) exclusion of other causes. We conducted a cohort study at the Department of Emergency Medicine on 119 patients with TGA diagnosis from 2010 to 2014, with follow-up evaluation by telephone interview. The objectives of our study were to evaluate the frequency of subsequent episodes, to identify predisposing factors, and to investigate whether TGA is a possible predictor of neurological disease. The frequency of comorbidity in our population was in line with literature. We observed a recurrence rate of 9.5%, with a prevalence for the male gender, while no other factor correlates with TGA recurrence. TGA was not a predictor of further neurological diseases. In conclusion, TGA is a benign pathology with a low probability of relapse. Accordingly, management in Emergency Department should be based on a correct initial clinical classification for rapid discharge.

097 A rare case of recurrent transient global amnesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 89 (6) ◽  
pp. A38.3-A39
Author(s):  
Sameer Saleem ◽  
Ronak Patel ◽  
Yash Gawarikar
Keyword(s):  
Transient Global Amnesia ◽  
Anterograde Amnesia ◽  
Epileptic Activity ◽  
Sudden Onset ◽  
Clinical Syndrome ◽  
Slice Thickness ◽  
Diagnostic Dilemma ◽  
Monthly Basis ◽  
Neurology Clinic ◽  
Global Amnesia

IntroductionTransient global amnesia (TGA) is a clinical syndrome characterised by the sudden onset of anterograde amnesia accompanied by repetitive questioning, sometimes with a retrograde component, lasting up to 24 hours, without compromise of other neurologic functions.CaseA 71 year old male presented to the neurology clinic with history of recurrent episodes of reversible anterograde amnesia with repetitive questioning. His first two episodes were in May 2016 and clinically very typical of TGA. After that he had recurrent episodes and he noted that they were happening on a monthly basis. He had an episode on 24 March 2017 at Yangon airport as he was returning from a trip to Myanmar. He had had three episodes in February 2017 and two in March and April 2017 and one episode on 20 May 2017. Initial MRI brain showed frontotemporal atrophy suggestive of Alzheimer’s disease and there was hypo-perfusion on the nuclear medicine study. EEG did not show any epileptic activity. His partner described a typical episode where the patient lost his memory for the preceding 24 hours and he had repetitive questioning such as ”what day is it” repeatedly. During the entire episode, he was conscious and able to converse appropriately. He had another episode of amnesia on 19 August and was admitted and underwent an MRI of brain, which showed characteristic punctate abnormalities in the bilateral hippocampi on B2000 DWI.ConclusionThe estimated annual rate of recurrence of TGA is 5.8%. Diagnosis is made from typical clinical features and typical MRI DWI findings of punctate lesions in the hippocampal with a DWI resolution of B=2000, and a thin slice thickness of 2 to 3 mm. Our patient had 11 documented episodes of transient amnesia and was a diagnostic dilemma until the characteristic hippocampal abnormalities were demonstrated on MRI.

scholarly journals Transient global amnesia with bilateral hippocampal findings in magnetic resonance imaging

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 01-03
Author(s):  
Sonia P. Rodriguez ◽  
Alfredo Fernandez de Castro ◽  
Carlos Enrique Trillos Peña
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Personal Identity ◽  
Transient Global Amnesia ◽  
Anterograde Amnesia ◽  
Acute Onset ◽  
Unknown Etiology ◽  
Imaging Findings ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Global Amnesia

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is an unusual neurological syndrome of unknown etiology that affects individuals between 50 and 75 years old. We describe the case of a 61-year-old woman, who experienced an episode of two hours of anterograde amnesia. The event had an acute onset and was observed by a reliable witness. It lacked motor or sensory symptoms, compromised consciousness, or personal identity. A brain magnetic resonance was performed 22 hours after the onset of symptoms depicting foci of restricted diffusion in both hippocampi. Taking into account clinical and imaging findings, the diagnosis of transient global amnesia was made.

scholarly journals A Forgetful Experience: A Case of Transient Global Amnesia

1970 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalpa Shah MD PGY2 ◽  
Chris Sheasgreen MD PGY3 ◽  
Ameen Patel MB
Keyword(s):  
Transient Global Amnesia ◽  
Acute Onset ◽  
Clinical Syndrome ◽  
Benign Condition ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Global Amnesia ◽  
Criteria For Diagnosis ◽  
Diagnostic Work ◽  
Work Up ◽  
Diagnostic Work Up

We present a case of a 67-year-old man with transient global amnesia, a clinical syndrome that presents with an acute onset of temporary amnesia lasting less than 24 hours, without impairment of consciousness or cognition. In this article, we discuss the clinical criteria for diagnosis, the pathophysiology of the condition, and an approach to its diagnostic work-up and prognosis. It is important to differentiate TGA from other entities because it is a benign condition that does not require treatment.

scholarly journals Can We Remember Future Actions yet Forget the Last Two Minutes? Study in Transient Global Amnesia

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 4138-4149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Hainselin ◽  
Peggy Quinette ◽  
Béatrice Desgranges ◽  
Olivier Martinaud ◽  
Didier Hannequin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Transient Global Amnesia ◽  
Abrupt Onset ◽  
Memory Deficit ◽  
Clinical Syndrome ◽  
Clinical Consequences ◽  
Global Amnesia ◽  
The Impact

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a clinical syndrome characterized by the abrupt onset of a massive episodic memory deficit that spares other cognitive functions. If the anterograde dimension is known to be impaired in TGA, researchers have yet to investigate prospective memory (PM)—which involves remembering to perform an intended action at some point in the future—in this syndrome. Furthermore, as executive functions are thought to be spared in this syndrome, TGA provides an opportunity to examine the impact of a massive “pure” memory impairment on PM. We assessed 38 patients with a newly designed protocol that distinguished between the prospective (remembering to do something at the appropriate time) and retrospective (remembering what has to be done) components of PM. Moreover, we investigated episodic memory with an anterograde memory task and assessed executive functions, anxiety and mood, as well as their links with PM. We demonstrated that PM is impaired during TGA, with a greater deficit for the retrospective component than for the prospective component. Furthermore, we highlighted a strong link between these two components. Anterograde episodic memory impairments were correlated with retrospective component deficits in TGA patients, although we were able to confirm that executive functions are globally spared. We discuss this pattern of results within the theoretical framework of PM, putting forward new arguments in favor of the idea that PM deficits can occur mainly because of a massive anterograde memory deficit. The clinical consequences of PM impairment in TGA are examined.

scholarly journals How to forget a “traumatic” experience: a case report of transient global amnesia after nasopharyngeal swab for Coronavirus disease 19

BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina Ravaglia ◽  
Antonio Zito ◽  
Lara Ahmad ◽  
Isabella Canavero
Keyword(s):  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Brain Mri ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Transient Global Amnesia ◽  
Clinical Syndrome ◽  
Traumatic Experience ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Medical Procedures ◽  
Diffusion Weight Image ◽  
Global Amnesia

Abstract Background Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a clinical syndrome characterized by a temporary short-term memory loss with inability to retain new memories, usually lasting 2 to 8 h. TGA may be related to several medical procedures, including angiography, general anesthesia, gastroscopy. Case presentation We report a 58-year-old woman who experiencing TGA one hour after the execution of her first-time nasopharyngeal swab for COVID-19. Brain MRI showed a typical punctate Diffusion Weight Image (DWI) hippocampal lesion. Conclusions This is the first report of TGA after the execution of nasopharyngeal swab for COVID-19. This association lengthen the list of medical procedures associated with TGA, and we discuss the possible plausible mechanisms by which a nasopharyngeal swab could trigger TGA.

scholarly journals Unmasking aortic dissection in patients of transient global amnesia: case report and diagnostic algorithm for the emergency department

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 (jan20 1) ◽  
pp. bcr0720103151-bcr0720103151 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Colotto ◽  
M. Maranghi ◽  
A. Epifania ◽  
M. Totaro ◽  
R. Giura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Aortic Dissection ◽  
Diagnostic Algorithm ◽  
Transient Global Amnesia ◽  
Global Amnesia

Prevalence of Mimics and Severe Comorbidity in Patients with Clinically Suspected Transient Global Amnesia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Ralph Werner ◽  
Johannes C. Woehrle
Keyword(s):  
Transient Global Amnesia ◽  
Anterograde Amnesia ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
Patient Treatment ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Alternative Diagnosis ◽  
Extensive Evaluation ◽  
Severe Comorbidity ◽  
Global Amnesia

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a syndrome featuring acute anterograde amnesia as the most striking clinical symptom. Its etiology is still a matter of debate. Most neurological guidelines allow the diagnosis on the basis of clinical criteria only; a more extensive evaluation is recommended only for patients with “red flags” like severe headache, nausea or vomiting, or metabolic abnormalities. The aim of our study was to assess the frequency of a severe underlying disease or alternative diagnoses (mimics) in patients fulfilling the clinical criteria. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We evaluated the medical records and the imaging data of an unselected consecutive cohort of patients with suspected TGA over a 7-year period. All patients were hospitalized and received a neurological workup including brain imaging, color-coded duplex sonography of the brain supplying arteries, electroencephalography, and laboratory studies of blood and (in selected cases) cerebrospinal fluid. <b><i>Results:</i></b> 163 patients with 166 episodes of suspected TGA were hospitalized (3 patients twice). After the workup, the diagnosis of TGA was confirmed in 148/166 (89.2%) episodes (“simple TGA”). Eighteen patients (10.8%) either had an alternative diagnosis or a severe comorbidity that was assumed to have had an impact on the occurrence of the amnestic episode (“complicated TGA/mimic”). The most important differential diagnosis was stroke (11 patients, 6.6% of all TGA suspects and 61.1% of the complicated TGA/mimic group). Other mimics were transient epileptic amnesia (2 patients) and steroid-induced delirium (1 patient). Important comorbidities that had not been obvious at the time of presentation were severe sleep apnea (2 patients), triptan overuse (1 patient), and an involuntary amlodipine intoxication during TGA. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> As approximately every tenth patient with suspected TGA either had an alternative diagnosis or a severe comorbidity, which had not been obvious at the time of admission, we consider in-patient treatment of all suspected TGA cases as appropriate, preferably in the setting of a stroke unit, as ischemic stroke was the by far most important diagnosis mimicking TGA.

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