The History of Amnesia-a Review

Purpose of Review This review traces amnesia's history from its earliest eighteenth century classification as a medical disorder to the present. Sophisticated depictions in the nineteenth century literature containing elaborate compilations of causal factors, including neurologic, consider pathogenesis, course, duration, durability, and temporal features. Recent Findings Severe amnesia, especially anterograde involving new learning, found archetypal expression in the twentieth century, in the case of H.M. The pure amnesia confirmed an independent memory disorder distinct from other cognitive disturbances, with functional dissociations illustrating nuanced manifestations and highlighting the role of some discovered structural correlates (e.g., hippocampal and associated MTL regions). Moreover, neural networks and interconnections have also notably been implicated. Although concepts of illness change across cultures and centuries, portrayal of amnesia remained consistent as it spread internationally. Amnesia's groundbreaking original nosology laid a foundation for contemporary paradigms of the multifactorial nature, specificity, and complexity of a poignantly thought-provoking disorder.

Automated summary

This review traces the history of amnesia from its classification as a medical disorder in the 18th century to the present day. It discusses the sophisticated depictions of amnesia in 19th century literature and recent findings on severe amnesia in the 20th century, focusing on the independent memory disorder it represents. Furthermore, it highlights the role of neural networks and structural correlates in understanding amnesia.