▲Doctors deconstruct 4 causes of transient total amnesia.
Transient Global Amnesia (TGA) is a strange and rare disease whose main symptom is the patient's inability to form new memories and recall recent events. Symptoms last no longer than 24 hours (average 6 hours), and patients gradually regain their memory. One of the requirements for diagnosis is to have witnesses present to confirm the patient's sudden memory loss. The patient had no epileptic symptoms during the attack, and his physical mobility and language abilities were not affected. They can still remember who they and their families are, but they are unable to access new memories. There was no record of previous head injuries and the body was not affected by semen or other drugs.
Most of the patients are middle-aged and elderly people or people suffering from migraines. The cause is unknown, but the following conditions may be triggers:
- Intense exercise
- Intercourse
- Sudden immersion in freezing or hot water
- Emotional
When scanning a patient's brain with magnetic resonance MRI, using the Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) wave sequence, tiny light spots can be seen on the hippocampus. These light spots are usually easier to see within 12 to 24 hours after the onset of the disease. Over time, these light spots will gradually disappear and can no longer be detected byMRI. Therefore, if a patient is assessed to have symptoms consistent with TGA, an MRI scan should be performed as early as possible.
Approximately only 5 to 10 people per 100,000 people develop this disease each year. Very few patients will have a second TGA.
Case sharing: A man in his fifties couldn't sleep after an argument with his wife, so he went to the park to play a ball game with his friends. At about three o'clock in the morning, a friend discovered that he kept asking about the time and date, and his memory seemed to have been cut off by scissors.
▲ Radiology Specialist Dr. Shum Sing Fai, John
The title was modified by TOPick editors. The original title was "Transient Global Amnesia (TGA)"
Written by: Dr. Shum Sing Fai, John, Specialist in Radiology
Ref: https://topick.hket.com/article/3315106/