Cognitive

Psychogenic Amnesia

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Psychogenic Amnesia, Dissociative Amnesia, Fugue State, Dissociative Hysteria, Psychogenic Fugue, Repressed Memory

  • See Also
  1. Amnesia
  2. Transient Global Amnesia
  • Definitions
  1. Psychogenic Amnesia (Dissociative Amnesia, Repressed Memory )
    1. Amnesia surrounding a specific event (e.g. violent crime, PTSD)
  2. Fugue State
    1. Prolonged Psychogenic Amnesia triggered by emotional event
    2. Sudden loss of personal identity (may be found wandering and confused)
    3. Amnesia is specific for personal memories and personal identity
    4. Patient may assume new identity
    5. Duration of hours to days (may persist months in some cases)
      1. On resolution, Amnesia persists for the time patient in Fugue State
  • Risk Factors
  1. Drug Intoxication
  2. Alcohol Intoxication
  3. Schizophrenia
  • Symptoms
  1. Amnesia surrounding a specific event (e.g. violent crime)
  • References
  1. Brown and Hachinski in Wilson et. al. (1991) Harrison's Internal Medicine, Twelfth Edition, McGraw-Hill, St. Louis, p.188-9