A PERSONAL CASE-HISTORY OF TRANSIENT ANOMIA

The article presents a first-person account of a transient anomia or word-finding deficit; the assumption is that such an account, reported by someone with a professional background in memory, cognition, and language processes, may shed additional light on the nature of an anomic episode and on the subjective experience of memory and language disruption due to brain-related abnormalities. During the 45-min episode, I was unable to retrieve and use specific content words and terms ('data,' 'experiment,' 'printout') in overt speech. I was completely conscious of these target concepts, although not of their names, and was aware of my inability to find the words. Neither word finding for 'everyday' words nor ongoing thought processes were particularly disrupted. The nature and quality of my thoughts during the episode indicate no loss of awareness of circumstances or 'presence of mind,' but no genuine awareness of the seriousness of the episode. I briefly consider the implications of my experience and the similarities to another published case history. © 1993 Academic Press, Inc.