10. Hypoxia: Starving the Brain of Oxygen
Our final exploration in the list of potential TGA causes leads us to hypoxia, a state in which the brain or body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply. Hypoxia, whether global or localized to the brain, can lead to a host of complications, including transient global amnesia.
Hypoxia can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as severe asthma, anemia, sleep apnea, or even high altitudes. This lack of oxygen can disrupt the normal functioning of the brain, potentially leading to an episode of TGA.
While it’s rare for hypoxia alone to cause TGA, cases have been reported following circumstances of severe oxygen deprivation. For instance, a study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine reported TGA episodes in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that can intermittently deprive the brain of oxygen during sleep.
The link between hypoxia and TGA underscores the critical role that oxygen plays in maintaining our cognitive functions. It serves as a stark reminder of the need to manage and treat conditions that can impair our oxygen supply effectively, to ensure not just our cognitive health, but our overall wellbeing. (10)
