Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1990 Oct;53(10):834–843. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.53.10.834

Syndromes of transient amnesia: towards a classification. A study of 153 cases.

J R Hodges 1, C P Warlow 1
PMCID: PMC488242  PMID: 2266362

Abstract

Of 153 patients presenting with acute transient amnesia, 114 fulfilled the proposed strict diagnostic criteria for transient global amnesia (TGA). The prognosis of this group was excellent with the exception of a small subgroup (7%), largely identifiable because of atypically brief or recurrent attacks, who developed epilepsy of temporal lobe type on follow up. Computerised tomography (CT) scans performed on 95 patients were normal, evidence for covert alcoholism was lacking and there was a familial incidence of approximately 2%. By contrast, the group of 39 patients who did not meet the criteria for TGA had a significantly worse prognosis with a high incidence of major vascular events. The groups could not be distinguished on the basis of behavioural characteristics during the attack. The following classification was proposed: 1) pure TGA--attacks fulfilling the strict criteria, and of more than one hour in duration which do not require detailed investigation, 2) probable epileptic amnesia--attacks of less than an hour or rapidly recurrent, 3) probable transient ischaemic amnesia, a minority of cases with additional focal neurological deficits during the attack.

Full text

PDF
834

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Aimard G., Trillet M., Perroudon C., Tommasi M., Carrier H. Ictus amnésique symptomatique d'un glioblastome intéressant le trigone. Rev Neurol (Paris) 1971 May;124(5):392–396. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BENDER M. B. Single episode of confusion with amnesia. Bull N Y Acad Med. 1960 Mar;36:197–207. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Caplan L., Chedru F., Lhermitte F., Mayman C. Transient global amnesia and migraine. Neurology. 1981 Sep;31(9):1167–1170. doi: 10.1212/wnl.31.9.1167. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cattaino G., Querin F., Pomes A., Piazza P. Transient global amnesia. Acta Neurol Scand. 1984 Dec;70(6):385–390. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1984.tb00842.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Corston R. N., Godwin-Austen R. B. Transient global amnesia in four brothers. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1982 Apr;45(4):375–377. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.45.4.375. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Crowell G. F., Stump D. A., Biller J., McHenry L. C., Jr, Toole J. F. The transient global amnesia-migraine connection. Arch Neurol. 1984 Jan;41(1):75–79. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1984.04050130081029. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. De Renzi E., Zambolin A., Crisi G. The pattern of neuropsychological impairment associated with left posterior cerebral artery infarcts. Brain. 1987 Oct;110(Pt 5):1099–1116. doi: 10.1093/brain/110.5.1099. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dupuis M. J., Pierre P., Gonsette R. E. Transient global amnesia and migraine in twin sisters. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1987 Jun;50(6):816–817. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.50.6.816. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Evans J. H. Transient loss of memory, an organic mental syndrome. Brain. 1966 Sep;89(3):539–548. doi: 10.1093/brain/89.3.539. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Fisher C. M. Transient global amnesia. Precipitating activities and other observations. Arch Neurol. 1982 Oct;39(10):605–608. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1982.00510220003001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Fogelholm R., Kivalo E., Bergström L. The transient global amnesia syndrome. An analysis of 35 cases. Eur Neurol. 1975;13(2):72–84. doi: 10.1159/000114664. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Gardner M. J., Altman D. G. Confidence intervals rather than P values: estimation rather than hypothesis testing. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1986 Mar 15;292(6522):746–750. doi: 10.1136/bmj.292.6522.746. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Godlewski S. Les épisodes amnésiques (transient global amnesia). (Etude clinique basée sur 33 observations inédites) Sem Hop. 1968 Feb 20;44(9):553–577. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Goodwin D. W., Crane J. B., Guze S. B. Phenomenological aspects of the alcoholic "blackout". Br J Psychiatry. 1969 Sep;115(526):1033–1038. doi: 10.1192/bjp.115.526.1033. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Guberman A., Stuss D. The syndrome of bilateral paramedian thalamic infarction. Neurology. 1983 May;33(5):540–546. doi: 10.1212/wnl.33.5.540. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Hatano S. Experience from a multicentre stroke register: a preliminary report. Bull World Health Organ. 1976;54(5):541–553. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Heathfield K. W., Croft P. B., Swash M. The syndrome of transient global amnesia. Brain. 1973 Dec;96(4):729–736. doi: 10.1093/brain/96.4.729. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Hinge H. H., Jensen T. S., Kjaer M., Marquardsen J., de Fine Olivarius B. The prognosis of transient global amnesia. Results of a multicenter study. Arch Neurol. 1986 Jul;43(7):673–676. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1986.00520070031013. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Hodges J. R., Ward C. D. Observations during transient global amnesia. A behavioural and neuropsychological study of five cases. Brain. 1989 Jun;112(Pt 3):595–620. doi: 10.1093/brain/112.3.595. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Hodges J. R., Warlow C. P. The aetiology of transient global amnesia. A case-control study of 114 cases with prospective follow-up. Brain. 1990 Jun;113(Pt 3):639–657. doi: 10.1093/brain/113.3.639. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Jensen T. S., de Fine Olivarius B. Transient global amnesia -- its clinical and pathophysiological basis and prognosis. Acta Neurol Scand. 1981 Apr;63(4):220–230. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1981.tb00775.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Kushner M. J., Hauser W. A. Transient global amnesia: a case-control study. Ann Neurol. 1985 Dec;18(6):684–691. doi: 10.1002/ana.410180610. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Ladurner G., Skvarc A., Sager W. D. Computer tomography in transient global amnesia. Eur Neurol. 1982 Jan-Feb;21(1):34–40. doi: 10.1159/000115451. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Landi G., Giusti M. C., Guidotti M. Transient global amnesia due to left temporal haemorrhage. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1982 Nov;45(11):1062–1063. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.45.11.1062. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Lisak R. P., Zimmerman R. A. Transient global amnesia due to a dominant hemisphere tumor. Arch Neurol. 1977 May;34(5):317–318. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1977.00500170071016. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Mathew N. T., Meyer J. S. Pathogenesis and natural history of transient global amnesia. Stroke. 1974 May-Jun;5(3):303–311. doi: 10.1161/01.str.5.3.303. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Matias-Guiu J., Colomer R., Segura A., Codina A. Cranial CT scan in transient global amnesia. Acta Neurol Scand. 1986 Mar;73(3):298–301. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb03280.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Miller J. W., Petersen R. C., Metter E. J., Millikan C. H., Yanagihara T. Transient global amnesia: clinical characteristics and prognosis. Neurology. 1987 May;37(5):733–737. doi: 10.1212/wnl.37.5.733. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Morris J. A., Gardner M. J. Calculating confidence intervals for relative risks (odds ratios) and standardised ratios and rates. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1988 May 7;296(6632):1313–1316. doi: 10.1136/bmj.296.6632.1313. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Nausieda P. A., Sherman I. V. Long-term prognosis in transient global amnesia. JAMA. 1979 Jan 26;241(4):392–393. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Peto R., Pike M. C., Armitage P., Breslow N. E., Cox D. R., Howard S. V., Mantel N., McPherson K., Peto J., Smith P. G. Design and analysis of randomized clinical trials requiring prolonged observation of each patient. II. analysis and examples. Br J Cancer. 1977 Jan;35(1):1–39. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1977.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Pexman J. H., Coates R. K. Amnesia after femorocerebral angiography. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1983 Jul-Aug;4(4):979–983. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Rowan A. J., Protass L. M. Transient global amnesia: clinical and electroencephalographic findings in 10 cases. Neurology. 1979 Jun;29(6):869–872. doi: 10.1212/wnl.29.6.869. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Shuping J. R., Rollinson R. D., Toole J. F. Transient global amnesia. Ann Neurol. 1980 Mar;7(3):281–285. doi: 10.1002/ana.410070313. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Stracciari A., Rebucci G. G. Transient global amnesia and migraine: familial incidence. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1986 Jun;49(6):716–716. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.49.6.716. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Wales L. R., Nov A. A. Transient global amnesia: complication of cerebral angiography. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1981 May-Jun;2(3):275–277. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES