How do people with amnesia forget their names but remember the word “amnesia”?

Question

How do they even remember how to speak English (or whatever their first language is)?

Answer 1

Amnesia occurs when the portion of the brain responsible for retrieving stored memories is somehow compromised. This region of the brain is known as the limbic system. It comprises the hippocampus, the amygdala, and portions of the cortex.


People are amnesiac when the memory retrieval portion of the limbic system isn’t working properly but there is otherwise NO CHANGE IN LANGUAGE;, attention span, visual/spatial functioning, or motivation.


Memories are not actually stored in the limbic system or the hippocampus. Rather, several areas of the brain are involved in memory; the type of information being assimilated determines where it is stored. For example, visual and auditory patterns are stored in the temporal lobe, whereas the PARIETAL LOBE stores language, speech, word usage, and comprehension.


There are two types of memory. Short-term or “working” memory stores information one needs to remember in the next few seconds, minutes, or hours (e.g., a telephone number or driving directions).

Long-term memory includes relational and procedural memory. Relational memory is concerned with relationships among objects and depends on the hippocampus. In amnesia, both relational memory and short-term memory may be impaired. Procedural memory represents memory for single objects or tasks (e.g., riding a bicycle) and depends on cortical processors that remain intact in amnesia. This helps explain why amnesiacs often remember basic skills and motor function


To simplify the types of Amnesia:

Anterograde amnesia is the most common. It is characterized by the inability to store, retain, or recall new knowledge AFTER or FOLLOWING the causative trauma or desire to forget. or events that triggers the onset of amnesia. Patients in this state often cannot remember what they ate for their last meal or events from the immediate past. They may fill in gaps in their memory with fabricated events (confabulation). This is the type of amnesia seen in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.


Retrograde amnesia is the loss of memories of events that occurred BEFORE the onset of amnesia. This is the form of amnesia most people think of when they hear the word amnesia. It often occurs after a head injury.


Transient global amnesia may be caused by migraine, small seizures in the temporal lobe, or transient ischemic attacks (TIA). Patients with this condition may become disoriented and repeatedly ask WHO THEY ARE; where they are, and what they are doing. Because this form of amnesia typically resolves on its own and only rarely recurs, there is no recommended treatment for it.


Amnesia can be a symptom of several neurodegenerative diseases; however, people whose primary symptom is memory loss (amnesiacs), typically remain LUCID and retain their sense of self. They may even be AWARE that they suffer from a memory disorder.

Research studies of amnesiacs demonstrates that the brain has multiple systems for processing, storing, and drawing on memory. This suggestes that memory loss is probably due to an error in memory retrieval, which explains why amnesiacs can usually recover their memories


There are many possible causes of amnesia. The most common include Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury (head trauma), brain infection (such as encephalitis or meningitis), dementia, seizures, and stroke. Less common causes include a brain tumor or psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, depression, criminal behavior, or psychogenic amnesia). Psychogenic amnesia usually happens in close association with a stressful event that involves serious threat to life or health. Criminals frequently present with amnesia: reports indicate that 23 percent to 65 percent of murderers claim amnesia for their crimes .


Alcoholics with Wernicke-Korsakoff's syndrome may sometimes forget who they are, become disoriented, and have hallucinations. During black outs, they forget all of part of what happened while they were drinking. They may have problems with short-term memory.

Answer 2

People With Amnesia

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

You know Dr D, as a teacher, it is embarassing for me that at times I blank out on my student' names. Some of them that is. But I do not forget everything.
When faced with a loss of memory of a student's name, I ask the question to another whose name I do remember.
I guess its the same thing with amnesia.
What I am saying is that you lose memory, but not memory of everything.

Answer 5

They don't necessarily remember 'amnesia' too. What they remember is random and cannot be calculated.

Answer 6

Usually with Amnesiacs they still have the information locked in their head, and they needed the information so i can only guess they tapped it out. Good question.

Answer 7

Good question. I think that it all depends on that portion of the brain that is effected.

Answer 8

Sometimes they have a mental affliction wristband that says what they suffer from if they dont remember what it is.

Answer 9

Thats a good question. I guess they remember it because they know they have it

Answer 10

they probably remember the word because they hear a doctor or family member talk about it or tell them that they have it so its stuck in their head