Reterograde Amnesia And Retrograde Amnesia

Memory encompasses information that has been learned and stored over a period of time. Once an event is stored in our memory it can be readily retrieved. Amnesia occurs when there is partial or complete memory loss. There are two types of memory loss: anterograde amnesia and retrograde amnesia—which can be a result of either an organic cause, damage to the brain by physical injury; drug usage; mental disorders; or post-traumatic stress (Mastin).

Anterograde amnesia differs from retrograde as individuals with anterograde amnesia are able to recall their past, while retrograde is the complete opposite—people cannot recall their past, (Myers, p319). Imagine waking up one morning to a loss of your memory—ending up in a psychiatric hospital and having no idea of what is taking place. This is retrograde amnesia and is what happens in the movie Overboard, starring Goldie Hawn as Joanna Stayton. At first, Joanna Stayton is a wealthy and spoiled brat. She bosses people around, walks with her head high and has no regard for anyone besides herself. However, when Stayton falls overboard from her yacht while searching for her wedding ring, she hits her head and becomes diagnosed with retrograde amnesia, waking up in a psychiatric hospital after being found by seamen. Retrograde amnesia

“is a form of amnesia where someone is unable to recall events that occurred before the development of amnesia, even though [he or she] may be able to encode and memorize new things that occur after the onset,” (Mastin).

Retrograde amnesia usually occurs due to severe trauma or damages to the temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex. The temporal lobe is located above the ears and is responsible for receiving information from opposite ears (Myers, p69). Within the ...

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... when Annie Proffitt regains her memory and realizes that she is Joanna Stayton, stating: “Ask me anything! Ask me about my childhood in England and about my money…my money,” (Overboard). She makes a decision to stay a wife and mother to her family with Dean Proffitt.

Consequently, any major incidents that involve severe head injuries by force may cause retrograde amnesia. So, what is the significance of short and long-term memory storage in relation to amnesia? Through encoding and retrieval, we are able to experience external events; record them in our sensory memory; where they become encoded in our short-term memory; and then eventually encoded to our long-term memory—which is beneficial to our retrieving process. Again, imagine waking up one morning with a memory deficit, due to an incident that you have no idea occurred. How do you imagine you would react?