Pathological loss of memory; a phenomenon in which anarea of experience becomes inaccessible to conscious recall. The memory loss may be of organic, emotional, dissociative, or mixed etiology and may be permanent or limited to a sharply circumscribed time. Two types are distinguished: a) anterograde amnesia: The inability to form new memories for events following an episode or event that may have produced the amnesia. b) Retrograde amnesia: Loss of memory for events preceding the episode or event presumed to be responsible for the amnesia.
Pathologic loss of memory; a phenomenon in which an area of experience becomes inaccessible to conscious recall. It may be organic, emotional, or of mixed origin, and limited to a sharply circumscribed period of time. Two types are:
- retrograde loss of-memory for events preceding the amnesia proper and the condition(s) presumed to be responsible for it.
- anterograde inability to form new memories for events following such condition (s).
A loss of memory; inability to recall past experiences.
A defense mechanism.
The term amnesia refers to memory loss, either partial or total. Classification of amnesia types may be according to temporal factors, etiology, or extent of memory loss. Amnesia may occur after a neurological injury or illness, or it may represent a psychological reaction to a traumatic event. Amnesia may occur after head injury, electroshock therapy, drug or alcohol intoxication, anoxia, or other conditions affecting the memory systems of the brain. It may also occur as a symptom of psychological disorders such as major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, or dissociative identity disorder. Children who have been physically or sexually abused, survivors of war or other catastrophe, or victims of violence may develop psychological amnesia.
Loss of memory, due to injury to the brain or severe emotional trauma. There are several kinds of amnesia, including anterograde amnesia, retrograde amnesia, and transient global amnesia.
Partial or total loss of long-term memory due to trauma or disease of hippocampus.
The loss of memory. Amnesia can be the result of brain damage or severe emotional trauma. Depending on its cause, memory loss may be temporary or permanent and may come on slowly or suddenly. Common causes of amnesia include alcoholism, general anesthetics, brain surgery, drug reactions, ect (electroconvulsive therapy), head trauma or injury, hysteria, and migraine.
Total or partial loss of memory following physical injury, disease, drugs, or psychological trauma. Anterograde amnesia is loss of memory for events following some trauma; retrograde amnesia is loss of memory for events preceding the trauma. Some patients experience both types.
Partial or total, permanent or transient loss of memory. The term is often applied to episodes during which patients forget recent events, although they may conduct themselves appropriately, and following which no memory of the period persists. Such episodes often are caused by strokes, seizures, trauma, senility, alcoholism, or intoxication. Often the cause is unknown.
A broad medical term used to describe the impairment of memory that surpasses normal forgetfulness. Amnesia can arise from various factors such as head trauma, neurological disorders, epilepsy, and dissociative conditions.
Amnesia refers to the impairment of memory functions, resulting in the inability to encode or retrieve stored information from long-term memory. It primarily impacts the long-term memory system, responsible for retaining information over extended periods, as opposed to the short-term memory system, which only holds information temporarily for seconds or minutes.
A significant number of individuals experiencing amnesia encounter a memory void that encompasses a period preceding the onset of the disorder. This phenomenon, referred to as retrograde amnesia, primarily manifests as an inability to recollect past events. However, it is noteworthy that, in most instances, the extent of the memory gap diminishes gradually as time progresses.
Certain individuals afflicted with amnesia face difficulties in retaining newly acquired information subsequent to the onset of the condition. This consequential memory impairment, termed anterograde amnesia, spans from the onset of amnesia until the resumption of long-term memory (if it occurs at all). Regrettably, this gap in memory is typically permanent in nature.
Amnesia arises as a consequence of damage or disease affecting specific brain regions responsible for memory function. Various factors can contribute to such damage, including head injuries, degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, infections such as encephalitis, thiamine deficiency in individuals with alcohol abuse leading to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, brain tumors, strokes, and subarachnoid hemorrhages. Additionally, amnesia can manifest in certain psychiatric conditions without observable physical brain damage. It is worth noting that some degree of memory decline is commonly observed as part of the natural aging process.
The incapacity to recall, particularly when it comes to past experiences.