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Suggest Treatment For Sudden Memory Loss
Question: A friend of mine had a sudden loss of memory regarding events that happened in the last week. He said he did not know what the month was or why he was at the location he was. After two hours of asking the same questions (what did we do for Thanksgiving, why didn't we go to my sister's house for Thanksgiving, what did we do yesterday,) I suggested we go to see a doctor or a hospital. He was adamant about not doing this, but started to work on a project he was planning to do (paint a portion of a wall at the summer home we were staying at overnight). As the morning and afternoon progressed, he was his normal self and remembered what happened (although I did repeat the statements close to 20 times.) I am very concerned about his condition. He did not appear to have a stroke (no slurring, difficulty in raising limbs, etc.). This was a sudden realization that he didn't know why he was were he was and why the trees were bare. He did say he knew who I was, and he was showing signs or being upset ("I think there is a problem because I don't know what happened in the last few days), but all of this happened in the morning without any prior signs of memory loss or confusion. Is this a neurological problem? Extreme anxiety? He seems to be fine now after this has happened three days ago.
Brief Answer:
The memory loss appears to be occurring due to dissociative amnesia.
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
I can understand your concern. If we consider type of memory loss then most of individuals loose memory gradually and memory of day to day events is lost progressively while remote memory remain preserved. Such type of memory loss is seen with advancing age related decline or with Alzheimer's disease. In traumatic cases sudden memory loss is seen that is for the events immediately preceding and following the trauma.
The type of memory loss your friend is showing can't be explained by any of common organic memory loss. But some times in dissociative memory loss or dissociative amnesia memory loss is limited to a specific event only and individuals retain normal memory prior to that episode and following episode. As you have mentioned he has no signs like slurred voice, weakness of limbs etc. So we are left with dissociative amnesia as his provisional diagnosis. This is not a neurological problem. In extreme stress individuals may develop such symptoms. In most cases spontaneous recovery seen and nothing is needed to done. If the symptoms persist and recur then visit a psychiatrist for his treatment.
Thanks, Hope this helps you. Please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts.
The memory loss appears to be occurring due to dissociative amnesia.
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
I can understand your concern. If we consider type of memory loss then most of individuals loose memory gradually and memory of day to day events is lost progressively while remote memory remain preserved. Such type of memory loss is seen with advancing age related decline or with Alzheimer's disease. In traumatic cases sudden memory loss is seen that is for the events immediately preceding and following the trauma.
The type of memory loss your friend is showing can't be explained by any of common organic memory loss. But some times in dissociative memory loss or dissociative amnesia memory loss is limited to a specific event only and individuals retain normal memory prior to that episode and following episode. As you have mentioned he has no signs like slurred voice, weakness of limbs etc. So we are left with dissociative amnesia as his provisional diagnosis. This is not a neurological problem. In extreme stress individuals may develop such symptoms. In most cases spontaneous recovery seen and nothing is needed to done. If the symptoms persist and recur then visit a psychiatrist for his treatment.
Thanks, Hope this helps you. Please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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