ABC Medical Center > Diseases > Amnesia

What is Amnesia?

21:53 - 4 May , 2021

Disease

When memory is lost, partially or totally, we are facing a case of amnesia or amnesic syndrome, where there is an inability to remember events and knowledge from the past or generate new memories from recent situations.

It should be clarified that amnesia, contrary to what is popularly believed, does not imply forgetting who we are, but simply losing the memory of events and information.

This condition, which can be permanent, occurs when the areas of the brain responsible for memory and recollection are damaged.

The treatment is based on mnemonic and psychological therapies, which can help the patient to improve and learn to live with episodes of transitory or permanent amnesia.

The origin of this condition is any type of neurological disease or damage, the most frequent causes of neurological amnesia being the following:

  • Significant low oxygen in the brain due to respiratory or cardiac problems or poisoning.
  • Chronic alcoholism that generates a lack of vitamin B-1.
  • Presence of a tumor in the area of the brain dedicated to memory and its processes.
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Dementia.
  • Seizures.
  • Intake of sedatives.
  • Stroke.
  • Encephalitis.

Amnesia may also manifest as a result of head trauma, although in these cases, depending on the severity of the blow received, it is usually transient.

And a rarer type of amnesia is psychogenic, which is caused by an emotionally traumatic event, with memory loss also being temporary.

Signs and symptoms Amnesia

  • Trouble recalling past events and data that used to be easy to remember.
  • There are problems incorporating new memories from the onset of amnesia.
  • Creation of new invented memories or with a certain truth.
  • Mental disorder and confusion.

Amnesia does not represent a decrease in intellect, attention, reasoning, or consciousness, it simply affects our ability to remember.

Diagnosis and treatment Amnesia

Once the doctor analyzes your symptoms and clinical history, you will have a physical examination that will include a neurological exam.

Likewise, he or she will perform a series of cognitive tests to see your reasoning ability and the level of affectation in your short and long-term memory.

Subsequently, he or she will request blood tests to rule out conditions, MRI and computed tomography tests, as well as an electroencephalogram.

The indicated treatment is occupational therapy to help recover memory, supported by psychological therapy.

Until now, no specific drugs have been developed to treat this condition, but the most recent research suggests that in the future drugs may be created that, although they do not cure amnesia by themselves, help to recover memory together with existing therapies.

At the Neurological Center, a select group of highly trained and certified doctors in the various neurological specialties are ready to assist you with the quality and warmth that characterizes us.

Nervous system specialties

  • Neurology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Spine surgery
  • Pediatric neurosurgery
  • Neurophysiology
  • Neuro-rehabilitation
  • Neuro-pathology
  • Interventional neuro-radiology
  • Neuropsychology
  • Neuro-oncology
  • Neuro-otology
  • Epilepsy
  • Neuro-ophthalmology
  • Neuroimaging

Related centers and departments

Neurology Center
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

  • nidcd.nih.gov
  • topdoctors.es
  • mayocilinic.org
  • medlineplus.gov
  • msdmanuals.com
  • medigraphic.com
  • Lugones BM, Sarduy NMR. Amnesia en el embarazo. Revista Cubana de Obstetricia y Ginecología. 2019;45(1):137-146.
  • Estrada-Romo MF, Carrillo-Mora P. ¿Realmente es global la amnesia global transitoria? El papel del hipocampo en la memoria declarativa. A propósito de un caso. Investigación en Discapacidad. 2015;4(1):38-46.
  • Escobar A, Gómez GB. Stress and Memory. Rev Mex Neuroci. 2006;7(1):8-14.
  • Díaz JL. Persona, mente y memoria. Salud Mental. 2009;32(6):513-526.

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