In a bizarre case, a 66-year-old Irish man lost his memory soon after having sex with his wife and even forgot the wedding anniversary party held a day before. Doctors explain that sex could be a trigger for short-term amnesia, officially known as Transient Global Amnesia (TGA).
The incident was reported as part of a study titled ‘Recurrent Postcoital Transient Amnesia Associated with Diffusion Restriction’ in the May edition of the Irish Medical Journal.
According to a blog on the Mayo Clinic website, TGA is a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that can't be attributed to a more common neurological condition, such as epilepsy or stroke.
The Irish man lost his memory just 10 minutes after sexual intercourse. He became “distressed” after he noticed the date on his phone and found that he he had even forgotten his wedding anniversary.
"He had, in fact, celebrated his wedding anniversary with his wife and family on the previous day. His autobiographical memory remained intact, but he had no memory of that morning or the celebrations the night before,” the report said.
It said his neurological examination was completely normal when he visited a local emergency room. He also regained his memory a little later.
Doctors who authored the report say TGA typically lasts 4 to 6 hours without the need for any treatment. Sometimes, it can last upto 24 hours.
“Precipitation of TGA has been linked with several activities including physical activity, immersion in cold or hot water, emotional stress, pain… and sexual intercourse,” they say.
