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What Causes Transient Global Amnesia?
Question: about a year ago I started having problems with my head. For no apparent reason I started having seizures all of a sudden all motion around me would stop moving cars would appear to stand still for about 1 to 2 minutes. I started losing memory for no apparent reason. I am 75 year old male.I studied computer science for 3 years. I wrote programs and managed as high 60 employees for almost 20 years. I have had 5 concusions and 1 contusion from falling. 2 months ago I started having 4 or 10 electric shocks in my brain at night. my email address is ( YYYY@YYYY ) I was diagnosed with trasient global amnesia 4 years ago.
Brief Answer:
Epilepsy/Transient ischemic attacks to be ruled out.
Detailed Answer:
Hi Cidarhilfarm,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.
If you would have presented to me as an outpatient with this medical history,I would have liked to rule out Epilepsy and Transient ischemic attacks in your case as these can be close mimics of Transient global amnesia.
I would have suggested you to get the following investigations done-
1)Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) of Brain-to see for any diffusion restriction or any evidence of ischemia
2)Electroencephalogram(EEG)-to see for abnormal electric discharges or epileptiform discharges.EEG done during the time frame when you are having these episodes will be more rewarding in terms of diagnostic importance.
Episodes of everything around you getting stand still and electric shocks like sensations in brain can be a manifestation of epilepsy causing complex seizures.Both MRI and EEG have importance in establishing the cause of these episodes.
Further,I would like to know-
1) whether you have any past history of Diabetes,Hypertension,Heart disease,Stroke or Hyperlipidemia.
2)Do you have history of chronic smoking?
Please follow up with the relevant details so that I can answer your query at the best.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Epilepsy/Transient ischemic attacks to be ruled out.
Detailed Answer:
Hi Cidarhilfarm,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.
If you would have presented to me as an outpatient with this medical history,I would have liked to rule out Epilepsy and Transient ischemic attacks in your case as these can be close mimics of Transient global amnesia.
I would have suggested you to get the following investigations done-
1)Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) of Brain-to see for any diffusion restriction or any evidence of ischemia
2)Electroencephalogram(EEG)-to see for abnormal electric discharges or epileptiform discharges.EEG done during the time frame when you are having these episodes will be more rewarding in terms of diagnostic importance.
Episodes of everything around you getting stand still and electric shocks like sensations in brain can be a manifestation of epilepsy causing complex seizures.Both MRI and EEG have importance in establishing the cause of these episodes.
Further,I would like to know-
1) whether you have any past history of Diabetes,Hypertension,Heart disease,Stroke or Hyperlipidemia.
2)Do you have history of chronic smoking?
Please follow up with the relevant details so that I can answer your query at the best.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Answered by
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