A man in Changhua County has fully recovered without any aftereffects from transient global amnesia, a rare medical condition that caused him to experience an overwhelming loss of memory for three hours, Changhua Hospital said on Thursday.
The man, surnamed Liu (劉), 52, arrived at the hospital experiencing sudden memory loss after a bowel movement following lunch on Friday last week, the hospital said in a statement.
After returning from the bathroom, Liu repeatedly asked his wife questions such as: “What is the date today?” and: “Did I already eat lunch?” the hospital said, adding that he could not remember the answers.
Photo courtesy of Changhua Hospital
After taking a computerized tomography scan and blood tests, the man was found to be healthy and showed no signs of a stroke, epilepsy or brain damage, the hospital’s Department of Neurology head Lien Kung-ying (連宮瑩) said.
Liu stayed in the hospital and was observed for about two hours before being discharged with the diagnosis of transient global amnesia, Lien said.
He gradually returned to a normal state, and after about three hours in the hospital, he asked: “Why am I here?” Lien added.
Transient global amnesia is a rare medical condition that causes a sudden episode of complete memory loss. The odds of experiencing the condition range from about 3 to 8 in 100,000, Lien said.
Studies show that the condition rarely occurs a second time, while its causes remain unknown.
Specialists have suggested that the condition could involve a lack of blood or oxygen circulating in the brain for a short period, he said, adding that people with anxiety disorders are prone to the condition.
In Liu’s case, the strain of his bowel movement could have triggered a response from his vagus nerve, causing low blood pressure and a temporary lack of blood to the brain, leading to transient global amnesia, Lien said.
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