Date updated: June 01, 2009
Content provided by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Also called: Forgetfulness, Impaired memory, Loss of memory

Amnesia is unusual forgetfulness that can be caused by brain damage due to disease or injury, or it can be caused by severe emotional trauma. Amnesia refers to a loss of the everyday sense of memory responsible for knowing facts, events, information and experiences. Also called amnestic syndrome, this memory loss can't be accounted for by problems with attention, perception, language, reasoning or motivation.

Amnesia is also known as Forgetfulness, Impaired memory and Loss of memory.

People with amnesia typically are lucid and maintain a sense of self, but they face severe difficulties in learning new information and forming new memories. They may not be able to recall memories of past experiences and information. Though a common plot device in movies and television, amnesia occurs quite rarely in real life. It can result from damage to parts of the brain that are vital for memory processing and learning. A more common cause of memory impairment in older people is mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a transition stage between the cognitive (thinking) changes of normal aging and more serious problems caused by dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Unlike a temporary episode of memory loss (transient global amnesia), amnestic syndrome can be permanent. Medications or other medical treatment can't restore memory loss in amnesia. But techniques for enhancing day-to-day memory and social and psychological support can help people with amnesia and their families cope.