retrograde amnesia
Past memories lost
Retrograde amnesia is memory loss affecting events before an injury or illness, as opposed to anterograde amnesia, which prevents forming new memories afterward.
The further back memories were formed, the more likely they survive—a person might forget the past year but remember childhood clearly.
After the accident, he had retrograde amnesia and couldn't recall the weeks leading up to it.
Missing piece of recall
- blackoutComplete power loss
- disorientationLoss of spatial awareness
- confabulationInvented memories believed true
- foggyObscured by vapor
Brain injury from impact
- head injuryHarm to the skull
- traumatic brain injuryBrain damage from external force
- accidentUnintended harmful event
- strokeSudden brain blood blockage
brain hemorrhage · coma · whiplash · assault · fall · anoxia · hypoxia · near-drowning
Memory formation region
- temporal lobeBrain section for hearing
- brain injuryDamage to cranial organ
- neuronsSignal-transmitting brain cells
- neuroplasticityBrain's self-rewiring ability
cerebral cortex · synapse · cognitive deficit · neurodegeneration · encephalopathy · MRI · CT scan · brain damage
Characterized by mental detachment
- psychogenicCaused by the mind
- repressionUnconscious blocking of thoughts
- fugue stateTemporary identity loss disorder
- memory retrievalAccessing stored mental information
emotional trauma · therapy · cognitive assessment · malingering
Recovery from injury/addiction
- cuesSignals prompting action
- promptingGiving reminders to continue
- relearningGaining back lost knowledge
- memory aidsTechniques improving recall
journaling · family support · occupational therapy · neuropsychologist
Reminder of the past
- soap operaSerialized melodramatic broadcast drama
- plot deviceStorytelling element advancing action
- secret identityUndisclosed true self
- 50 First DatesRepeated romantic beginnings
memory gap
Missing piece of recall
- blackoutComplete power loss
- disorientationLoss of spatial awareness
- confabulationInvented memories believed true
concussion
Brain injury from impact
- head injuryHarm to the skull
- traumatic brain injuryBrain damage from external force
- accidentUnintended harmful event
stroke · brain hemorrhage · coma · whiplash · assault · fall · anoxia · hypoxia · near-drowning · carbon monoxide
hippocampus
Memory formation region
- temporal lobeBrain section for hearing
- brain injuryDamage to cranial organ
- neuronsSignal-transmitting brain cells
neuroplasticity · cerebral cortex · synapse · cognitive deficit · neurodegeneration · encephalopathy · MRI · CT scan · brain damage · neuropathology
dissociative
Characterized by mental detachment
- psychogenicCaused by the mind
- repressionUnconscious blocking of thoughts
- fugue stateTemporary identity loss disorder
memory retrieval · emotional trauma · therapy · cognitive assessment · malingering
rehabilitation
Recovery from injury/addiction
- cuesSignals prompting action
- promptingGiving reminders to continue
- relearningGaining back lost knowledge
memory aids · journaling · family support · occupational therapy · neuropsychologist
Memento
Reminder of the past
- soap operaSerialized melodramatic broadcast drama
- plot deviceStorytelling element advancing action
- secret identityUndisclosed true self
- amnesiamemory loss, memory gaps, memory gap, Korsakoff syndrome, alcohol blackout
- Memory Lossforgetting, forgetfulness, memory loss, memory lapse, memory gaps
- consciousness statesunconscious, conscious, awake, alert, sleep
- Brain InjuriesTBI, concussion, brain trauma, brain damage, traumatic brain injury
anterograde amnesia, amnesia, retrograde, retrorocket, amnesias