What is amnesia (amnesiac syndrome)?

What is amnesia (amnesiac syndrome)?

Amnesia is a dramatic form of memory loss. If you have amnesia you may be unable to recall past information (retrograde amnesia) and/or hold onto new information (anterograde amnesia). Amnesia, in the Greek language, means “forgetfulness.” However, amnesia is far more complicated and severe than everyday forgetfulness. Forgetting what your spouse asked you to pick up at the grocery store is “normal.” Forgetting that you are married can be a sign of amnesia.

Amnesia is often portrayed in movies and TV shows. What soap opera hasn’t had a storyline involving it? Fictional characters with amnesia often lose their entire identities. They can’t even remember their names. Fortunately, amnesia usually isn’t that severe in real life.