Award-winning journalist Katie Couric has opened up about experiencing an incident of short-term reminiscence loss. In a Substack put up titled “The Day I’ll By no means Bear in mind,” Couric detailed a day in late June 2026 that by no means fully registered in her reminiscence.
Couric defined within the put up that she remembers strolling to a neighborhood farmer’s market that day, consuming cereal, and getting dressed for the Aspen Concepts Competition. Her husband, John Molner, then drove her to the occasion. “That’s the very last thing I keep in mind,” she wrote.
Couric moderated a panel on the occasion, and served as a panelist on one other. “I keep in mind nothing from both panel,” she mentioned. Couric additionally famous that she has “no thought” what was mentioned or what occurred when the panels had been over.
However whereas Molner didn’t discover Couric behaving unusually, an intern advised him that his spouse wasn’t feeling nicely. She was taken to a neighborhood hospital for an analysis. There, she could not keep in mind the names of a few of her grandchildren or her daughter’s boyfriend. Couric additionally wasn’t positive of the month and thought it was 2024. “I believed Joe Biden was president,” she added.
Couric obtained an MRI to see if she had skilled a stroke — she hadn’t. Docs then identified her with transient world amnesia and advised her that her reminiscence would return the following day.
Couric mentioned the incident was “freaky,” including that she’s “relieved” that her reminiscence loss was not as a consequence of one thing extra severe. However her expertise is elevating questions on what precisely transient world amnesia is, and whether or not it ought to trigger actual concern.
What Is Transient World Amnesia?
“The particular person is often awake, alert, talking usually, and nonetheless is aware of who they’re, however they might be unable to recollect what simply occurred and should ask the identical query time and again as a result of the reply doesn’t ‘stick,’” Dr. Cappon says.
Transient world amnesia is often thought of innocent. Whereas it’s extra more likely to have an effect on middle- and older-aged adults, transient world amnesia is just not thought of a typical “senior second,” Cappon says.
What Causes Transient World Amnesia?
Scientists are nonetheless studying about why some folks develop transient world amnesia. “We don’t consider transient world amnesia as dementia, and most often it’s not a stroke,” Cappon says. “The precise mechanism continues to be not totally understood.”
Nonetheless, he says that transient world amnesia is probably going a brief disruption of reminiscence circuits, particularly within the hippocampus, the mind construction that helps folks type new recollections. “Episodes can happen after bodily pressure, emotional stress, ache, sudden immersion in chilly or sizzling water, sexual exercise, or different physiologic stressors,” Cappon says. “A historical past of migraine additionally appears to extend threat.”
“The most typical situations I’ve seen of transient world amnesia occurred after episodes inflicting elevated life stress,” says Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Windfall Saint John’s Well being Middle in Santa Monica, California. “I’ve seen this when stockbrokers have misplaced cash, householders’ houses have burned, folks have been arrested, and after people had been caught philandering. I’ve additionally seen it come up out of the blue with none provocation.”
Folks with transient world amnesia ought to have fundamental blood work finished to verify they’re not dehydrated — that may trigger confusion, too, Dr. Segil says.
How Lengthy Does Transient World Amnesia Sometimes Final?
Each particular person experiences transient world amnesia otherwise. Nonetheless, “Most episodes final a couple of hours and resolve [get better] the identical day,” Cappon says. “By definition, signs ought to clear inside 24 hours.”
The one who skilled transient world amnesia “often returns to baseline, however usually has a everlasting clean spot for the episode itself,” Cappon says.
Is It a Symptom of a Bigger Cognitive Challenge?
Transient world amnesia will be complicated and scary for the one who experiences it. Nonetheless, Cappon says it’s not thought of an indication of an even bigger cognitive challenge.
“Basic transient world amnesia is mostly thought of benign and doesn’t imply somebody has Alzheimer’s illness,” he says.
Nonetheless, Segil says it’s essential to have a full medical analysis after experiencing transient world amnesia to verify nothing else is occurring. “It will probably herald one thing medically regarding and it may be the tip of a medical iceberg,” he says.
Are Momentary Amnesia Episodes Prone to Occur Once more?
What to Do if You Out of the blue Can’t Bear in mind the Yr or Names of Liked Ones
It is a regarding symptom, in keeping with Cappon. “Nobody ought to diagnose this at dwelling,” he says.
Along with transient world amnesia, sudden reminiscence loss will also be attributable to stroke, seizure, head harm, remedy, an infection, or metabolic points, per Cappon. If you happen to expertise this, he recommends visiting your native emergency room for an analysis.
“It wants pressing medical analysis the primary time it occurs,” Cappon says.
