Triggers of transient global amnesia and recurrence: A retrospective analysis

Recurrent transient global amnesia (TGA) may not be as benign as a single episode of TGA. However, the factors involved in TGA recurrence are unknown.

To determine the rate of recurrent TGA among patients admitted to our neurology department due to an episode of TGA, and identify factors that may be associated with TGA recurrence.

We retrospectively reviewed the computerized database and the medical records of patients admitted to the adult neurology department at Shamir-Assaf Harofeh Medical Center due to an episode of TGA during a 14-year period between 2009 and 2022.

The study group included 162 patients with TGA aged 64.6 ± 6.8 years, 97 women (59.9 %). One hundred-thirty-nine patients (85.8 %) were admitted following a single episode of TGA and 23 patients (14.2 %) following recurrent TGA. TGA triggers were identified in 78 (48.1 %) of the patients, and were less common in patients with recurrent compared to those with a single TGA episode (21.7 % vs 52.5 %) (p = 0.007). Age, gender, TGA duration, the occurrence of concomitant symptoms, presence of vascular risk factors and the findings of EEG, brain imaging studies, carotid Doppler ultrasound and 24-h holter ECG did not significantly differ between the groups.

TGA triggers are less common in patients with recurrent TGA. Further studies are needed to explore whether patients with recurrent TGA may have an altered susceptibility to stress or a different pathophysiological mechanism than those with single episode of TGA.