I'm writing (or trying anyway) to write a book in which one of the characters has a flash of total memory loss. She doesn't recognize her own house, her best friend, or her name. I need a serious medical condition to put her in to explain this. If you're interested in reading the story, please contact me;)What causes temporary complete amnesia?
Amnesia
Amnesia is a general term that describes memory loss. The loss can be temporary or permanent, but 'amnesia' usually refers to the temporary variety. Causes include head and brain injuries, certain drugs, alcohol, traumatic events, or conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Anterograde amnesia means that the person can't learn anything new, while retrograde amnesia means the person forgets events from their past. In many mild cases, such as those caused by concussion, the person can't recall the blow to the head or their recovery time, but the rest of their memory is intact. Infantile amnesia, or the inability to remember anything at all from the first few months or years of life, is universal. It is thought that the memory processes of the brain take time to develop.
Symptoms
The symptoms of amnesia depend on the cause, but generally include:
* Memory loss
* Confusion
* Inability to recognise familiar faces or places
* Once the person recovers, they typically have no memory of their amnesia episode.
A range of causes
Memory loss can be caused by a wide range of conditions, including:
* Head injury
* Severe illness
* High fever
* Seizures
* Emotional shock or hysteria
* Alcohol-related brain damage
* Certain drugs, such as barbiturates or heroin
* General anaesthetics
* Electroconvulsive therapy
* Stroke
* Transient ischaemic attack (a 'mini stroke')
* Alzheimer's disease
* Brain surgery.
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