Amnesia: Specialists and Information

The term amnesia (from the Greek mnémē, meaning “remembrance” or “memory”) generally refers to a loss of memory. However, there are significant variations in the type, cause, and progression of the condition.

Medicine distinguishes between various forms of amnesia, which affect patients very differently depending on their severity and underlying cause. Each subtype has its own symptoms, which often overlap:

• Retrograde amnesia (retrograde = backward-looking): Partial amnesia; no memory of the time before the onset of the condition.
• Anterograde amnesia (anterograde = forward-looking): New information can be stored only minimally or not at all. This variant is the most common form of the condition.
• Global amnesia: Memories of events from the very distant past are just as inaccessible as new information. Skills (e.g., driving) remain intact, but the ability to orient oneself is lost. This form of amnesia is incurable.
• Transient amnesia (transient = temporary): All memory content is affected. Skills are still retained. This form is known as episodic amnesia and always begins acutely. It usually lasts about one to a maximum of 24 hours and resolves on its own.
• Congenital amnesia: Refers exclusively to the event that triggered the amnesia, such as an accident. Events before and after are not affected.
• Psychogenic amnesia: Involves traumatic experiences and events and is based on unconscious repression.

Some people suffer from amnesia in old age due to dementia © zinkevych | AdobeStock

Amnesia usually occurs in connection with an underlying medical condition or a specific event. It should be understood as a concomitant phenomenon that has an organic or psychogenic cause.

Psychogenic amnesia stems from a stressful situation that was extremely distressing for the affected person. The trauma of the event leads to psychological overload and results in the repression of the experience. The affected person no longer remembers what happened.

Organic amnesia is the result of a disorder in the brain, such as

• a traumatic brain injury,
• as a result of a stroke or meningitis, as well as
• in connection with dementia or epilepsy.

Amnesia can also occur as a long-term consequence of medication use and alcoholism.

Risk factors include avoidable, unhealthy behaviors, such as heavy, long-term alcohol consumption or smoking.

The hippocampus, located in the brain, plays a central role in amnesia. Its external shape resembles a seahorse, which is where its name comes from. The hippocampus is essential for memory function. It is also referred to as working memory, and when it is impaired or damaged, it is no longer able to store new events in the brain.

The doctor will first examine you and ask about your situation. This includes questions about the nature and extent of your memory gaps, as well as any possible connections to a specific event that may have triggered them. The more precise your answers are, the more helpful they will be in assessing the type of amnesia you may be experiencing.

In addition, various memory tests can aid in the diagnosis. They allow for an assessment of short-term and long-term memory. Furthermore, imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT), may be used for diagnostic purposes.

It is also common to measure brain waves using electroencephalography (EEG). This can help determine whether epilepsy might be responsible for the memory loss.

In some cases—with your consent—it may be helpful to involve friends or relatives. This can help provide a more comprehensive understanding of the extent and duration of your memory lapses.

The specialists responsible for making the diagnosis are neurologists and psychiatrists.

The treatment of amnesia depends on the specific cause. The doctor usually treats the underlying condition, such as epilepsy or a stroke.

If an accident is the trigger, the associated findings determine the treatment.

If psychological trauma is responsible for the amnesia, psychotherapy is usually recommended. Various relaxation techniques, such as yoga or autogenic training, have also proven helpful in many cases.

In general, there is no way to prevent amnesia. If you are affected, there are a variety of memory training options available. Your treating doctor will recommend exercises that are individually tailored to your needs.

Reducing stress in daily life also has a positive effect on memory function, as do the understanding and patience of close family members.

The course of amnesia varies considerably depending on the specific type and its severity.

In cases of reversible memory loss, treating the underlying condition is essential for recovery. In cases of severe organic diseases, particularly those associated with dementia, amnesia cannot be cured. However, with the right therapy, it can be stabilized at the current level for some time.

The prognosis for amnesia resulting from an accident is generally better than for Alzheimer’s disease. Supportive interventions that help

• fill in memory gaps,
• stimulate memories, and
• stimulate memory processes.

The more this happens, the better the outlook for those affected.

Amnesia is always a life-altering event and, for many people, a threatening one. Memories are fundamental to one’s identity, and memory loss is therefore often traumatic. In many cases, there are very good treatment options and even chances of recovery.