Originally Posted by
Wrathmonk
Anyone know what the medical test is for amnesia? I assume it's not as simple as just saying "I don't remember"? Can a scan pick up damage in the relevant part of the brain?
There is no definitive test. Occasionally, patients with retrograde amnesia ie before the precipitating event, are found to have hippocampal abnormalities. But that’s it. Additionally, if and when memory returns, the recollections are often jumbled or inaccurate, and hence are unreliable.
many patients who spend time in an intensive care unit have retrograde amnesia - presumably as a consequence of the precipitating event and the various sedative or analgesic drugs they receive.
Caramba