Transient Global Amnesia: Risk of Related Problems?

It’s been a while since we talked about transient global amnesia (TGA). TGA is an illness that has been linked to migraine. Patients who have TGA have trouble remembering recent events, and have trouble retaining new information. However, this usually only lasts for a few hours.

Very little is known about TGA, which may lead to concerns about the lasting impact it may have on the brain. Patients who have a TGA episode may be more likely to have a history of migraine. But what about the future? Is there an increased risk of seizures, further cognitive problems, or serious brain/vascular events?

Good news – according to a recent study from the Mayo Clinic in the USA, the answer is no.

The study followed 221 patients for about 12 years. Of those, about 5 or 6% had another episode of TGA, which also is a very low percentage.

This should be good news for many people and their families who have been affected by this strange illness.

To see the study abstract, go to Long-Term Outcome in Patients With Transient Global Amnesia