Final answer:
A patient unable to remember events prior to brain trauma is experiencing retrograde amnesia, which is the inability to recall past episodic memories before the point of trauma. The correct option is (2).
Step-by-step explanation:
A patient with brain trauma who cannot remember events just prior to the trauma is exhibiting symptoms of retrograde amnesia. Retrograde amnesia is characterized by a loss of memory for events that occurred prior to the brain trauma.
This type of amnesia affects the ability to recall episodic memories, which are memories of personal experiences that include contextual details, such as time and place.
In contrast, anterograde amnesia is when a person cannot remember new information after the onset of amnesia, but they can remember information and events that happened prior to their injury.
Thus, if an individual can't remember past events before their injury, retrograde amnesia is the correct diagnosis. Cases of retrograde amnesia can vary widely, from forgetting just a few moments before the incident to forgetting years of one's life.