What causes amnesia?

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What causes amnesia?

Amnesia causes are divided into two categories: neurological and functional. Here are some of the most common causes.

Neurological Amnesia.

Brain injuries:

  • Trauma from a car crash, sports, a fall from a ladder, penetrating object (i.e.,bullet), etc.

Brain diseases:

  • Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
  • Stroke.
  • Seizure.
  • Brain tumor.

Brain infections:

  • Encephalitis.
  • Lyme disease.
  • Syphilis.
  • HIV/AIDS.

Other:

  • Anoxia (lack of oxygen).
  • Cardiac arrest.
  • Thyroid issues.
  • Chronic alcoholism.
  • Vitamin B1 (thiamine) or B12 (cyanocobalamin) deficiency.
  • Radiation.

High levels of corticosteroid.

Functional/Psychogenic/Dissociative Amnesia.

Functional amnesia, a psychiatric disorder, is rarer than neurological amnesia. It is not associated with any known brain trauma or disease but rather appears to occur because of an emotional trauma. This is usually retrograde amnesia (inability to remember past information). Occasionally, it is so severe that the person may forget their own identity.

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