Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Functional ("psychogenic") amnesia.

Jason Brandt1, Wilfred G Van Gorp

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland 21287-7218, USA.

Seminars in Neurology
|June 23, 2006
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Personality assessment inventory sex differences in people with epileptic and functional seizures.

Epilepsy & behavior : E&B·2025
Same author

Cortical α4β2-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease.

Journal of Parkinson's disease·2025
Same author

A randomized feasibility trial of the modified Atkins diet in older adults with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease.

Frontiers in endocrinology·2024
Same author

Morphometric imaging biomarker identifies Alzheimer's disease even among mixed dementia patients.

Scientific reports·2022
Same author

Multidomain cognitive dysfunction after minor stroke suggests generalized disruption of cognitive networks.

Brain and behavior·2022
Same author

Dementia in late-onset epilepsy: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study.

Neurology·2020
Same journal

Isolated Cranial Tremors: A Reappraisal.

Seminars in neurology·2026
Same journal

Dystonia and Tremor.

Seminars in neurology·2026
Same journal

Pendular nystagmus and oculopalatal tremor.

Seminars in neurology·2026
Same journal

Sanjay Pandey, MBBS, MD, DNB, DM, FIAN, and Aasef Shaikh, MD, PhD.

Seminars in neurology·2026
Same journal

Tremor.

Seminars in neurology·2026
Same journal

Carotid Disease.

Seminars in neurology·2026
See all related articles

Psychogenic amnesia, or dissociative amnesia, involves severe memory loss for personal history without neurological cause, often linked to stress. Neuropsychological assessment and therapies like psychotherapy aid recovery.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Psychogenic amnesia, also known as dissociative amnesia, is characterized by severe memory impairment without a clear neurological basis.
  • This condition is often associated with significant stressful life events.
  • It is distinguished from neurological amnesia by the profound impact on personal life history recall versus new information learning.

Observation:

  • Patients exhibit isolated retrograde amnesia, affecting autobiographical memory more than anterograde memory.
  • Neuropsychological assessments are crucial for identifying specific cognitive deficits and preserved functions.
  • This disorder is increasingly viewed as a complex behavioral response rather than a distinct disease entity.

Findings:

  • Recent research using cognitive and brain imaging techniques is elucidating the underlying cerebral mechanisms.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Neuropsychological testing reveals circumscribed performance deficits and highlights areas for rehabilitation.
  • Emotional disorders associated with psychogenic amnesia necessitate psychiatric intervention.

    • Implications:

    • While controlled treatment trials are lacking, case reports indicate the efficacy of supportive psychotherapy, relaxation training, hypnosis, and medication.
    • A psychoeducational approach, involving reteaching the patient's life story, is often integrated into treatment.
    • Understanding the interplay between stress, memory, and behavior is vital for effective patient management and recovery.