Concept of Amnesia – This book covers the entire syllabus of “Psychiatric Nursing” prescribed by the Universities of Bangladesh- for Basic and diploma nursing students. We tried to accommodate the latest information and topics. This book is an examination-friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination questions.
At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the book students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourish. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.
Concept of Amnesia
Amnesia means total loss of memory for a certain period of a person’s waking life. The period may vary from a few hours to many months. Amnesia can occur in organic disorders due to brain damage.
[Ref: S Nambi/2/371]
Classification of amnesia:
A. Psychogenic
1. Fugue
2. Dual and multiple personalities
3. Ganser state
4. Slips of the tongue and amnesia for word finding
B. Organic:
1. Cerebral disease
2. Transient global amnesia
3. Amnestic syndrome
4. Traumatic amnesia
5. Temporal lobe amnesia
6. Amnesia associated with ECT.
[Ref: S Nambi/2/145-146]
Psychogenic amnesia:
Emotional factors produce amnesia and usually affect only the ability to recall experiences. Registration and retention are unaffected. Psychogenic amnesia is either dense and global or restricted to certain specific themes. The psychoanalytic theory of psychogenic amnesia is ‘forgetting of disagreeable.
Fugue state:
A state of amnesia in which the person wanders away from his normal surroundings and is associated with loss of personal identity. Fugue state can occur in hysteria, depression, alcoholism, epilepsy and head injury.
[Ref: S Nambi/24/1461]
Nursing care of amnesia:
1. The nurse should first understand the disturbance of memory is a common symptom in the psychiatric setup. It may be due to psychological or organic factors. Because of amnesia, patient may often not be in a position to give correct history. Hence, it should be cross- checked with relatives later.
2. In short-term memory disturbances other practical problems may come up.st
3. The patient has already had his medication may ask for the drugs again.
4. This specially occurs in the elderly. Medication given should be carefully recorded otherwise a double dose may be given which can have adverse effects.
5. Patients with confabulation give immediate answers. Even though, they seem correct ttrey may be totally false. This should be kept in mind.
6. Congenital and hereditary disease (tuberous sclerosis).
[Ref: S Nambi/24/147]
Extracranial
1. Metabolic
2. Electrolyte
3. Biochemical
4. Inborn errors of metabolism
5. Anoxia
6. Hypoglycemia
7. Drugs
8. Drug withdrawal
9. Alcohol withdrawal
[Ref: S Nambi/2/121-122]
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