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Brain Advance Access originally published online on May 2, 2006
Brain 2006 129(7):1640-1658; doi:10.1093/brain/awl105
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© The Author (2006). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Review Articles

What does transient global amnesia really mean? Review of the literature and thorough study of 142 cases

Peggy Quinette1, Bérengère Guillery-Girard1, Jacques Dayan1, Vincent de la Sayette1,2, Sophie Marquis3, Fausto Viader1,2, Béatrice Desgranges1 and Francis Eustache1

1 Inserm—EPHE—, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie GIP Cyceron, CHU de Caen, France 2 CHU Côte de Nacre, Service de Neurologie VastelCaen, France 3 CHU Côte de Nacre, Departement d'Accueil et de Traitement des Urgences Caen, France

Correspondence to: Prof. Francis Eustache, Inserm—EPHE—, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, Unité E0218, Laboratoire de Neuropsychologie, CHU Côte de Nacre, 14033 Caen Cedex, France E-mail: neuropsycho{at}chu-caen.fr

Since the first reports of transient global amnesia (TGA) were published in 1956, several neuropsychological and functional imaging studies have shed light on different aspects of this neurological syndrome. By establishing diagnostic criteria, Hodges and Warlow (1990b) have made it far easier to identify clinical TGA-related features. However, no comprehensive survey has been yet carried out in order to validate their criteria/findings or provide information about previously unknown features. In the present paper, (i) we review the literature published since Hodges and Warlow's study and seek to characterize the demographic and clinical features of TGA more accurately, (ii) we report 142 personal TGA cases, with supplementary information regarding both episodes and patients, such as precipitating events, associated symptoms and personality, and (iii) we suggest the existence of different groups of TGA patients, on the basis of a hierarchical cluster analysis. This revealed that in women, episodes are mainly associated with an emotional precipitating event, a history of anxiety and a pathological personality. In men, they occur more frequently after a physical precipitating event. In younger patients, a history of headaches may constitute an important risk factor. No link was found with vascular risk factors. The relevance of each of the above-mentioned variables is discussed in the light of our classification. An extensive description of cases from both the literature and our patient population allows us to refine the characterization of clinical TGA features.

Key Words: memory; amnesia; transient ischaemic attack

Abbreviations: DSM IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; DWI, diffusion-weighted imaging; HBP, high blood pressure; HCA, hierarchical cluster analysis; MFA, multiple factorial analysis; TGA, transient global amnesia; TIA, transient ischaemic attack

Received November 9, 2005. Revised March 14, 2006. Accepted March 27, 2006.


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