Transient Global Amnesia - Risk Factors and Putative Background
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Updated: Dec 15, 2025

Assessing Changes in Synaptic Plasticity Using an Awake Closed-Head Injury Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: January 20, 2023
Marta Waliszewska-Prosol1, Marta Nowakowska-Kotas1, Joanna Bladowska2
1Department of Neurology, Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
Objectives:
Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a temporary short-term reversible memory loss. Etiology of TGA remains unclear with various hypotheses. We analyzed clinical characteristics, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological findings as well as comorbidities and seasonal variation in TGA patients with regard to possible background of the syndrome.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 56 patients (42 women and 14 men) with TGA hospitalized from 2008 to 2016 in the Department of Neurology, Wrocław Medical University.
Results:
A total of 52 patients (92.9%) underwent their first-ever episode of TGA. The potential triggers or events before episode could be recognized in 22 patients (39.3%). 35.7% patients had TGA in summer and 26.8% in winter months. In 92.9% patients chronic diseases were found, included: Hypertension (60.7%), dyslipidemia (48.2%), autoimmune thyroiditis (17.9%), and ischemic heart disease (14.3%). One patient (1,8%) suffered from migraine. Doppler ultrasonography of carotid arteries revealed abnormalities in 29 patients (51.8%). Electroencephalography abnormalities were observed in 10 (17.6%) of patients.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest a putative cerebrovascular background of transient global amnesia. No evidence has been provided for the association between TGA and epilepsy or migraine. Among comorbidities, autoimmune thyroiditis deserves further investigation with regard to its potential links with TGA.
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