Herpes simplex encephalitis with transient global amnesia as an early sign.

Cerebral ischemia has been proposed as the etiology of transient global amnesia. Recently, however, migranous and epileptic etiologies have attracted attention. A 56-year-old man had transient global amnesia and the next day began to display symptoms of meningoencephalitis. Herpes simplex encephalitis was diagnosed based on the titer of herpes simplex virus antibodies. The transient global amnesia appears to have occurred as an early sign of herpes simplex encephalitis and may have been provoked by an epileptic mechanism.