Experts have shed light on a peculiar memory condition that affects people after certain events, including sexual activity.
People encounter many unusual experiences daily, yet enigmatic health conditions can cause concern, especially when individuals are unsure of the cause or nature of such issues.
Recently, a curious phenomenon has surfaced where individuals experience confusion and disorientation post-intimacy.
According to The Lancet, a study has documented unusual occurrences affecting people directly after sexual activity, with symptoms that are quite peculiar.
Transient global amnesia is a condition characterized by a ‘sudden onset of confusion that includes memory loss, seen by a witness’, as described by the Mayo Clinic.
Individuals with this condition often remain awake and alert, recognize themselves despite experiencing memory loss, maintain normal cognitive abilities, and exhibit no specific brain damage, making the short-term issue difficult to pinpoint.
Actor Liev Schreiber experienced this condition, realizing something was amiss upon forgetting a co-star’s name during a Broadway performance.
The study findings suggest that this condition leads to an inability to form new memories, causing recent events to be forgotten.
Interestingly, in some instances, this occurs immediately following sexual intercourse.
The study highlighted cases of two elderly men who became confused right after engaging in sex.
One case involved a 72-year-old man who presented with ‘new onset thrombocytopenia’ and had previously experienced ‘a transient memory loss episode’ two years earlier.
Approximately 30 minutes post-intercourse, he reportedly sat on the bed, ‘fully conscious, yet confused.’
“He was taken to hospital by his wife and found to be disoriented. He misidentified the current US President as Jimmy Carter,” the study noted. “A neurological examination revealed no focal signs and magnetic-resonance imaging of the head was normal.”
Shortly thereafter, his symptoms subsided, but he retained no memory of the amnesia episode as he was unable to form new memories during that time.
Another case involved a 75-year-old retired physician who experienced a similar episode half an hour post-sex, speaking incoherently.
He also ‘misidentified the current US president,’ but returned to his normal routine within fifteen hours.
Although a definitive cause remains elusive, the Mayo Clinic notes that patients have reported various triggers preceding symptom onset.
Potential triggers include sudden exposure to cold or hot water, vigorous physical activity, sexual intercourse, medical procedures, mild head trauma, or emotional distress.
This condition remains a medical mystery.