Veteran journalist Katie Couric has opened up about a recent health scare after experiencing several hours of sudden memory loss, an episode doctors later diagnosed as transient global amnesia, a condition that causes temporary memory loss.
As ABC News reports, in a recent Substack post, Couric, 69, said she was briefly hospitalized after losing several hours of memory while attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado on June 27. Couric wrote that she remembers events that day until “about noon,” but everything through “at least 7 p.m.” remains “a big, black hole.” Although she participated in two panel discussions that afternoon, she has no memory of what happened.
Her husband, John Molner, said he noticed she appeared “weak and dizzy” after her final panel. At the hospital, doctors evaluated Couric for a possible stroke after she had trouble recalling the date, the president, and the names of some family members. An MRI showed no evidence of a stroke, and doctors diagnosed her with transient global amnesia.
“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious,” Couric wrote. “So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.
Here’s what to know about transient global amnesia.
What is transient global amnesia?
According to the Mayo Clinic, transient global amnesia is an episode of confusion that comes on suddenly in a person who is otherwise alert. This confused state is not caused by a more common neurological condition, such as epilepsy or stroke.
During an episode of transient global amnesia, a person is unable to create new memory, so the memory of recent events disappears. You can’t remember where you are or how you got there. You may not remember anything about what’s happening right now. You may keep repeating the same questions because you don’t remember the answers you’ve just been given. You may also draw a blank when asked to remember things that happened a day, a month or even a year ago.
The condition most often affects people in middle or older age (typically between 50 and 70). With transient global amnesia, you do remember who you are, and you recognize the people you know well. Episodes of transient global amnesia always get better slowly over a few hours. During recovery, you may begin to remember events and circumstances. Transient global amnesia isn’t serious, but it can still be frightening.
The exact cause of transient global amnesia remains unknown. However, people with migraines, hyperlipidemia, or high cholesterol, and heart disease may have an increased risk of experiencing the condition, according to research published in PubMed.
Signs and Symptoms
You must have these signs and symptoms to be diagnosed with transient global amnesia:
- Sudden onset of confusion that includes memory loss, seen by a witness
- Being awake and alert and knowing who you are, despite memory loss
- Normal cognition, such as the ability to recognize and name familiar objects and follow simple directions
- No signs of damage to a particular area of the brain, such as being unable to move an arm or leg, movements you can’t control, or problems understanding words
More symptoms and history that may help diagnose transient global amnesia:
- Symptoms lasting no more than 24 hours and generally shorter
- Gradual return of memory
- No recent head injury
- No signs of seizures during the period of amnesia
- No history of active epilepsy
Another common sign of transient global amnesia due to the inability to create new memories includes repetitive questioning, usually of the same question — for example, “What am I doing here?” or “How did we get here?”
Causes and Risk Factors
The underlying cause of transient global amnesia is unknown. There may be a link between transient global amnesia and a history of migraines. But experts don’t understand the factors that contribute to both conditions. Another possible cause is the overfilling of veins with blood due to some sort of blockage or other problem with the flow of blood (venous congestion).
While the likelihood of transient global amnesia after these events is very low, some commonly reported events that may trigger it include:
- Sudden immersion in cold or hot water
- Strenuous physical activity
- Sexual intercourse
- Medical procedures, such as angiography or endoscopy
- Mild head trauma
- Being emotionally upset, perhaps by bad news, conflict or overwork
Couric wrote that she wondered whether altitude, dehydration, stress or lack of sleep may have contributed to her episode, but said “the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
The clearest risk factors are:
- Age. People age 50 and older have a higher risk of transient global amnesia than do younger people.
- History of migraines. If you have migraines, your risk of transient global amnesia is significantly higher than that of someone without migraines.
Treatment, and When to See a Doctor
There really is no specific treatment for transient global amnesia. Symptoms typically resolve on their own within 24 hours, and most people recover completely without lasting complications. Transient global amnesia is typically diagnosed only after more serious causes of sudden memory loss have been ruled out, according to the online National Library of Medicine.
Seek immediate medical attention for anyone who quickly goes from normal awareness of present reality to confusion about what just happened. If the person experiencing memory loss is too confused to call an ambulance, call one yourself.
Transient global amnesia isn’t dangerous. But there’s no easy way to tell the difference between transient global amnesia and the life-threatening illnesses that can also cause sudden memory loss.
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