A syndrome characterized by a transient loss of the ability to form new memories. it primarily occurs in middle aged or elderly individuals, and episodes may last from minutes to hours. during the period of amnesia, immediate and recent memory abilities are impaired, but the level of consciousness and ability to perform other intellectual tasks are preserved. the condition is related to bilateral dysfunction of the medial portions of each temporal lobe. complete recovery normally occurs, and recurrences are unusual. (from adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, pp429-30)

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a neurological disorder whose key defining characteristic is a temporary but almost total disruption of short-term memory with a range of problems accessing older memories. A person in a state of TGA exhibits no other signs of impaired cognitive functioning but recalls only the last few moments of consciousness, as well as possibly a few deeply encoded facts of the individual's past, such as their childhood, family, or home perhaps. Both TGA and anterograde amnesia deal with disruptions of short-term memory...