Not Just for Adults: Transient Global Amnesia is Rare—But Possible—in Children

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a well-characterized neurological syndrome primarily affecting adults over the age of 50. It is marked by the sudden onset of anterograde amnesia with repetitive questioning while other cognitive functions remain intact. To date, only a few pediatric cases of TGA have been documented. Here we present the case of a previously healthy 9-year-old girl who developed sudden-onset anterograde amnesia, manifesting with repetitive stereotyped questions and temporal disorientation consistent with the "broken record" phenomenon. The patient's neurological examination and routine laboratory investigations were unremarkable. Brain MRI obtained within 4 hours of symptom onset was reported as normal, although the slice thickness exceeded the optimal parameters for detecting TGA-related lesions. EEG, urine toxicology screening, and cardiologic evaluation were all normal. The amnestic episode resolved spontaneously within 11 hours, and no recurrence was observed over 21 months of follow-up. The patient met all established diagnostic criteria for TGA, with no identifiable underlying etiology. TGA should be considered as a diagnostic option in children presenting with isolated acute amnesia and the characteristic "broken record" phenomenon, particularly when no alternative explanation can be identified after thorough differential diagnostic evaluation.