TRANSIENT GLOBAL AMNESIA - MEMORY AND METAMEMORY

Twenty patients (mean age 64 years) with a previous episode of transie nt global amnesia (TGA) were examined to assess the functioning of obj ective memory (by using the Randt Memory Test), the metamemory capacit ies (Sehulster Memory Scale), the residual level of retrograde amnesia (Questionnaire of Remote Events), and the level of depression (Geriat ric Depression Scale). Patients with residual retrograde amnesia score d significantly lower than non-amnesic ones on indices of both short-t erm and long-term memory, and for one of three main metamemory compone nts, namely self-rating of memory functioning through comparison with memory functioning of peers (Set 3). Age, time interval from TGA attac k and TGA duration did not prove to influence memory and metamemory sc ores. Retrograde amnesia and depression were rather substantially asso ciated (1/5), and this association was found to negatively influence n early all memory and metamemory scores. Depression level showed a posi tive correlation with short-term memory functioning in non-amnesics. T he different pattern and strength of the relationships between metamem ory components and objective memory dimensions observed in amnesics an d non-amnesics indicate that metamemory evaluations are more closely r elated to memory functioning in amnesics than in non-amnesics.