Definition of Amnesia

Amnesia: Lack of memory. Amnesia after trauma can be antegrade or retrograde, depending upon whether the lack of memory relates to events occurring after or before the trauma. Amnesia is as compared to hypermnesia and hypomnesia. From a- + the Greek mneme, memory.

See also: Antegrade amnesia ; and Retrograde amnesia.

Last Editorial Review: 6/5/2004

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