Pensioner went to Limerick hospital A&E with memory loss after daytime sex with wife

Condition known as sudden onset amnesia can be triggered by physical exertion, emotional stress, pain and sexual intercourse, research paper shows

In the paper in the newly released May edition of the 'Irish Medical Journal', the medics at the Department of Neurology at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) say the case highlights sexual intercourse as a trigger of recurrent transient global amnesia. Picture: Dan Linehan

A pensioner turned up at a hospital A&E with short-term memory loss brought about by daytime sex with his wife.

That is according to a new paper by medics here which document how the 66-year-old man suffered from sudden onset amnesia, or transient global amnesia (TGA), within 10 minutes of having sex.

It was the second time the man suffered from sudden onset amnesia within 10 minutes of sexual intercourse.

In the paper in the newly released May edition of the Irish Medical Journal, the medics at the Department of Neurology at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) say the case highlights sexual intercourse as a trigger of recurrent transient global amnesia.

Outlining the details, the medics recount how the man endured one hour of amnesia before presenting himself at the hospital A&E one afternoon.

The medics said “on the afternoon presentation, he had engaged in sexual intercourse 10 minutes before the onset of memory disturbance”.

They recount “after seeing the date on his phone, he became distressed that he had forgotten his wedding anniversary the day before”.

“He had, in fact, celebrated his wedding anniversary with his wife and family on the previous day. His autobiographical memory remained intact, but he had no memory of that morning or the celebrations the night before.”

The medics said “the man repetitively questioned his wife and daughter over the events of that morning and the previous day”.

The paper says “no other neurological symptoms were reported and upon arrival to the emergency department his neurological examination was completely normal”.

The amnesia episode suffered by the man followed a similar hospital presentation event seven years previously by him and according to the medics, that amnesia event also came within 10 minutes of sexual intercourse.

The medics said the precipitation of TGA has been linked with several activities, including physical exertion, immersion in hot or cold water, emotional stress, pain and sexual intercourse.

They said TGA usually occurs in people between 50 and 70 years or age, often in isolation as a once-off event, but studies report an annual recurrence rate of between 6pc and 10pc.