Final answer:
Retrograde amnesia is the loss of memory for events that occurred before brain trauma, while anterograde amnesia is the inability to form new memories after brain trauma. Examples of these types of amnesia include a patient waking up in a hospital and not recognizing family members, and a person experiencing difficulty in recalling recent conversations and placing objects in unusual locations. Another example is a movie character being unable to remember the name of a famous actor, despite remembering their face and voice.
Step-by-step explanation:
Retrograde Amnesia
Retrograde amnesia is a type of amnesia characterized by the loss of memory for events that occurred prior to brain trauma. People with retrograde amnesia have difficulty remembering past experiences and episodic memories. For example, if someone wakes up in the hospital after a car accident, they may not recognize their spouse, children, or parents because they have no memory of them. This condition can be caused by physical trauma, disease, or psychological trauma.
Anterograde Amnesia
Anterograde amnesia is another type of amnesia that is commonly caused by brain trauma. With anterograde amnesia, individuals cannot form new memories or remember new information, but they can still recall events and information that happened before their injury. This type of amnesia is often associated with damage to the hippocampus, which is responsible for transferring information from short-term to long-term memory.
Examples
- Rosa, a 68-year-old woman, has been experiencing difficulties with her memory. She forgets where she placed objects, misses appointments, and struggles to find the right words in conversations. These symptoms may indicate the early stages of memory impairment.
- In the movie Oblivion, a character experiences a memory block and cannot remember the name of a famous actor, despite being able to vividly recall their face and voice. This frustration is an example of a memory error known as blocking.
- H. M., a patient who underwent brain surgery, developed anterograde amnesia and was unable to form new memories. Despite this, he could solve puzzles faster each day due to relearning, illustrating the retention of procedural memories.