Award-winning journalist Katie Couric has opened up about experiencing an incident of temporary memory loss. In a Substack post titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” Couric detailed a day in late June 2026 that never completely registered in her memory.
Couric explained in the post that she remembers walking to a local farmer’s market that day, eating cereal, and getting dressed for the Aspen Ideas Festival. Her husband, John Molner, then drove her to the event. “That’s the last thing I remember,” she wrote.
Couric moderated a panel at the event, and served as a panelist on another. “I remember nothing from either panel,” she said. Couric also noted that she has “no idea” what was discussed or what happened when the panels were over.
But while Molner didn’t notice Couric behaving unusually, an intern told him that his wife wasn’t feeling well. She was taken to a local hospital for an evaluation. There, she couldn’t remember the names of some of her grandchildren or her daughter’s boyfriend. Couric also wasn’t sure of the month and thought it was 2024. “I believed Joe Biden was president,” she added.
Couric received an MRI to see if she had experienced a stroke — she hadn’t. Doctors then diagnosed her with transient global amnesia and told her that her memory would return the next day.
Couric said the incident was “freaky,” adding that she’s “relieved” that her memory loss was not due to something more serious. But her experience is raising questions about what exactly transient global amnesia is, and whether it should cause real concern.
What Is Transient Global Amnesia?
“The person is usually awake, alert, speaking normally, and still knows who they are, but they may be unable to remember what just happened and may ask the same question over and over because the answer does not ‘stick,’” Dr. Cappon says.
Symptoms can vary. In addition to memory loss, people may experience a headache, elevated blood pressure, and dizziness.
Transient global amnesia is usually considered harmless. While it is more likely to affect middle- and older-aged adults, transient global amnesia is not considered a typical “senior moment,” Cappon says.
Transient global amnesia is considered a rare condition, “but not exceedingly rare,” Cappon says. It impacts about 5 to 10 people per 100,000 each year in America.
What Causes Transient Global Amnesia?
Scientists are still learning about why some people develop transient global amnesia. “We do not think of transient global amnesia as dementia, and in most cases it is not a stroke,” Cappon says. “The exact mechanism is still not fully understood.”
However, he says that transient global amnesia is likely a temporary disruption of memory circuits, especially in the hippocampus, the brain structure that helps people form new memories. “Episodes can occur after physical strain, emotional stress, pain, sudden immersion in cold or hot water, sexual activity, or other physiologic stressors,” Cappon says. “A history of migraine also seems to increase risk.”
A scientific analysis published in 2025 in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences analyzed data from 162 patients who were diagnosed with transient global amnesia. The researchers discovered that the condition was most common in people who recently experienced emotional stress or physical activity.
“The most common instances I have seen of transient global amnesia occurred after episodes causing increased life stress,” says Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “I have seen this when stockbrokers have lost money, homeowners’ homes have burned, people have been arrested, and after folks were caught philandering. I have also seen it arise out of the blue without any provocation.”
People with transient global amnesia should have basic blood work done to make sure they’re not dehydrated — that can cause confusion, too, Dr. Segil says.
How Long Does Transient Global Amnesia Typically Last?
Every person experiences transient global amnesia differently. However, “Most episodes last a few hours and resolve [get better] the same day,” Cappon says. “By definition, symptoms should clear within 24 hours.”
The person who experienced transient global amnesia “usually returns to baseline, but often has a permanent blank spot for the episode itself,” Cappon says.
Is It a Symptom of a Larger Cognitive Issue?
Transient global amnesia can be confusing and scary for the person who experiences it. However, Cappon says it’s not considered a sign of a bigger cognitive issue.
“Classic transient global amnesia is generally considered benign and does not mean someone has Alzheimer’s disease,” he says.
Still, Segil says it’s important to have a full medical evaluation after experiencing transient global amnesia to make sure nothing else is going on. “It can herald something medically concerning and it can be the tip of a medical iceberg,” he says.
Are Temporary Amnesia Episodes Likely to Happen Again?
Most people who experience transient global amnesia will not have an episode again. One scientific analysis of 36 studies on people with transient global amnesia found that 544 patients out of 4,514 (or nearly 13 percent) experienced the condition more than once.
The researchers discovered a link between sexual activity and more than one episode of transient global amnesia. People with a personal history of migraine and depression were also more likely to experience the condition again.
What to Do if You Suddenly Can’t Remember the Year or Names of Loved Ones
This is a concerning symptom, according to Cappon. “No one should diagnose this at home,” he says.
In addition to transient global amnesia, sudden memory loss can also be caused by stroke, seizure, head injury, medication, infection, or metabolic issues, per Cappon. If you experience this, he recommends visiting your local emergency room for an evaluation.
“It needs urgent medical evaluation the first time it happens,” Cappon says.
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