Emma Mackie

Ms. Burden
April 9, 2017

Amnesia
Amnesia is when a person is unable to remember earlier events. Most commonly amnesia is

divided into two categories or types one of these types is retrograde amnesia while the other is

called anterograde amnesia. For someone suffering from amnesia who finds themselves unable to

recall anything that occurred before a specific date, will be suffering from retrograde amnesia.

Whilst someone who is unable to remember anything that came after a specific date, meaning

they can make no new memories would be suffering from anterograde amnesia.

Retrograde amnesia is that condition when a person cannot remember anything that

happens to them before specific date. Amnesia of this type it is often brought on by stress, even

trauma, including injury and the development of a disease. Cranial trauma, a stroke, a tumor,

lack of oxygen to the brain, encephalitis, and even chronic alcoholism are all causes of retrograde

amnesia. A person suffering from Retrograde amnesia will be unable to access and recall the

memories that occurred before a specific event. Most commonly Retrograde amnesia occurs do

to damage in the brain areas that are associated with declarative memory. This includes the

temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex. A person suffering from retrograde amnesia can typically

continue to recall words, skills, habits, everyday functions and general knowledge, but not specific

events that occurred in their life.

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 Anterograde amnesia is when a person is unable to create new memories after a specific

date. Research has shown that Anterograde amnesia is caused because the connection between

the hippocampus and the cortex is damaged. The reason the memories cannot be created is

because due to damage memory, encoding, and storage fail. This is means that information is

processed but immediately forgotten because there is not a connection to the area where long-

term memories are stored. Most commonly Anterograde amnesia is brought on by dramatic

brain injury or surgery. But it can also be drug-induced. Many types of benzodiazepines are

known to halve amnesic effects. Alcohol also has amnesia affects. If the Anterograde amnesia is

caused by Brain injury the damage has likely occurred on the hippocampus or medial temporal

lobe. Once the hippocampus or mental temporal lobe of the brain are damaged, Anterograde

amnesia can occur. This form of amnesia can be caused by events such as concussions, heart

attacks, oxygen deprivation, and even an epileptic attack. It is less common but this form of

amnesia is also brought on by stress and emotional strife.

Many times a person will suffer from either Retrograde amnesia or Anterograde amnesia

but in some cases the two will occur together. When this happens it is referred to as total or global

amnesia. Although many consider Retrograde and Anterograde amnesia to be the main two

types of amnesia others consider there to be multiple. Post Traumatic amnesia can occur after

Brain injury and causes confusion and memory loss. Dissociative amnesia is another type of

amnesia caused by trauma, it affects up to 7% of the general population. Often times scientists

group amnesia caused by psychological factors under the specific category of psychogenic

amnesia.

This loss of memory before and after date is usually brought on by stress or even trauma as

people use amnesia as a coping mechanism in dealing with traumatic experiences or events. It

PSYCHOLOGY REPORT !2
occurs for other reasons though, such reasons include: Thyroid problems, Sedatives and some

medications, and even long term damage to the brain due to alcohol abuse. Amnesia is a serious

and complex problem that has a serious effects and consequences. Usually brought on by trauma

amnesia is a a treatable but not medically curable problem is that some patients will suffer for

forever.

PSYCHOLOGY REPORT !3
 References

Health Research Funding, (2014). 22 Amazing dissociative amnesia statistics.

Retrieved from http://healthresearchfunding.org/22-dissociative-amnesia-statistics.htm

The Human Memory, (n.d.). Amnesia. Retrieved from http://www.human-memory.net/

disorders_amnesia.html

The Human Memory, (n.d.). Anterograde amnesia. Retrieved from http://www.human-

memory.net/disorders_anterograde.html

The Human Memory, (n.d.). Retrograde amnesia. Retrieved from http://www.human-

memory.net/disorders_retrograde.html

PSYCHOLOGY REPORT !4