title: Aortic dissection as a possible cause of pure transient global amnesia: a case report and literature review.
abstract: A 55-year-old man suddenly developed anterograde and retrograde amnesia. His colleagues witnessed the onset of the episode and reported that 2 h before the onset of the amnesic attack the patient transiently became pale. Physical examination was unremarkable and neurological examination revealed no focal neurological sign although a laboratory investigation revealed leukocytosis. Pure transient global amnesia (TGA) was diagnosed. The anterograde amnesia resolved 20 h after onset, but the causes of his transient paleness precedent to TGA and leukocytosis were unclear. Thirty-four hours after onset, the patient complained of sudden back pain and radiological studies revealed aortic dissection (AD; Stanford type B). We emphasize AD as a rare cause of pure TGA, because TGA in itself often has a benign natural history, but AD can be life-threatening if undiagnosed. The precedent pain, transient systemic symptoms, and leukocytosis can be red flags suggesting AD as an etiology of TGA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan. t-irioka.nuro@tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Irioka
authors.forename: Ayaka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamanami
authors.forename: Yohsuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Hidehiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizusawa
mesh_terms: D000648:Amnesia, Retrograde / Q000209:etiology*; D020236:Amnesia, Transient Global / Q000209:etiology*; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed