title: [Transient global amnesia: A descriptive study of 12 Polynesian patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  According to the criteria of Hodges and Warlow, transient global amnesia is defined by sudden onset of isolated anterograde amnesia of spontaneous resolution within one to twenty-four hours. Its pathophysiological mechanisms are still uncertain.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective study, we have analyzed epidemiological, clinical and MRI data from twelve patients admitted to the only neurological department of French Polynesia for transient global amnesia corresponding to the criteria of Hodges and Warlow between January 2010 and December 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of the cohort was 61.5 (53-72), the sex ratio was 1. Ten patients had one or more cardiovascular risk factors, 3 had migraine headaches and 3 had anxiodepressive disorders. Among triggers found, the occurrence during the rest was noted in one case. Retrograde amnesia was observed in 42% of cases, repetitive questioning in 75% of cases, anxious bewilderment in 67% of cases and disorientation in 33% of cases. The median episode duration was 9 hours and the duration of hospitalization was 3 days. Three patients had a recurrence. MRI was abnormal in all patients and showed diffusion-weighted hyperintensities in right (n=8), left (n=3) and bilateral (n=1) hippocampi.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidemiological, clinical and MRI data from our cohort are similar to those from the literature except for the highest prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and the most frequent right hippocampus involvement. Transient global amnesia occurring exceptionally while sleeping was also observed in one of our patients.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne et polyvalente, centre hospitalier de Polynésie française, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle, 98716 Pirae, Tahiti, Polynésie française. Electronic address: erwan.oehler@cht.pf.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oehler
authors.affiliation: Service de neurologie, centre hospitalier de Polynésie française, 98713 Papeete, Tahiti, Polynésie française.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iaxx
authors.affiliation: Service de neurologie, centre hospitalier de Polynésie française, 98713 Papeete, Tahiti, Polynésie française.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Larre
authors.affiliation: Service de neurologie, centre hospitalier de Polynésie française, 98713 Papeete, Tahiti, Polynésie française.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghawche
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020236:Amnesia, Transient Global / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003221:Confusion / Q000209:etiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011114:Polynesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020919:Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic / Q000209:etiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Amnésie transitoire; Hippocampe; Hippocampus; Ictus amnésique; Memory; Mémoire; Transient global amnesia