Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a temporary, anterograde amnesia with an acute onset that usually occurs in middle-aged and older individuals. It is often precipitated by particularly strenuous activity, high-stress events, or coitus, but it can be seen with migraines as well. Studies have been inconclusive as to whether there are risk factors for the development of TGA, though some have suggested an association with a history of prior heart disease, migraine, or hyperlipidemia. Patients will often present with repetitive questioning and total anterograde memory loss that resolves within 24 hours. While there is disorientation with respect to other people and location, the patients will not lose self-awareness. The symptoms, once resolved, rarely recur and no other neurological deficits present with this condition. The diagnosis is largely a diagnosis of exclusion.
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