Amnestic state in a holocaust survivor patient: Psychogenic versus neurological basis

Differentiation between psychogenic and organic amnesia is sometimes quite difficult. This paper focuses on the psychogenic and organic components of a complex case of amnesia rooted in remote and prolonged traumatic stress a nd manifested under circumstances evoking dissociated memories. The Transie nt Global Amnesia (TGA) of a concentration camp survivor who developed sudd en amnesia during a psychiatric intake interview was clearly triggered by t he pressure of repressed Holocaust memories. The importance of distinguishi ng between TGA and dissociative amnesia is emphasized, and the role of psyc hological upset as a precipitant in TGA is stressed.