Anyone know much about amnesia?

Doing a Big O fanfic, so it's kinda relevant.

Specifically, how much of a person's personality is determined by memories/experience? If they suddenly were not able to access any memories, would their personality stay the same, be radically different, or slowly change over time?

What kind of memories? Amnesiacs often remember how to do things, like say play the piano, without remembering any related experiences.

Stuff like childhood memories.

Actually it's not really said in Big O exactly what everyone forgot, but I assume they remembered some things like how to drive, do math, etc. Probably wouldn't be that implausible if I had different people retain different memories.

It's been a while and I'm not the most learned person in regards to this but...

As I recall from psychology classes there are parts of the personality that are innate in a way. Your temperament is one of those I believe. These things are affected by experiences in life and while some can be meddled with or gotten rid of some do seem to be there to stay for the most part. I've always been very extroverted and loving of attention for example though always anxious. Even now when I greatly fear attention and prefer to stay by myself I crave attention and do remain very extroverted. It's just sort of tucked away so to speak. As such even if they did lose their memories parts of their personality would remain intact. I am not sure how much however.

Now I actually suffer amnesia because of my seizures...the memories affected have a very dream like quality to them. From what I've just read this is normal for retro-grade amnesia. When I experience it it's like I just woke up from a dream. That time just doesn't feel real and it doesn't feel like I experienced it. Parts of the memories are still there, but they are very loose and I can't quite grab at them. Parts of these may be my mind adding in blanks from what I heard about things from those around me. What little I do have as memory I can't really distinguish as "real" in any sense. I normally just ignore them.

Sorry I can't answer this question better.

edited 30th Nov '10 8:10:10 PM by Aondeug

^ So it would not be implausible for a character to occasionally remember bits and pieces but for the most part keep them repressed and stay in denial about them?

It would not be implausible no. They'd be very dream like bits. Light and not really something one could grasp too deeply and extensively. At least that is how it is in my experience.

Keeping them repressed and ignoring them doesn't seem like it would be implausible either. In certain situations and with certain individuals it would make sense to repress them and be in denial about something.

I doubt that amnesia per se would affect someone's personality. Brain damage on the other hand definitely could.

It could give them reason to rethink their lives though- the different perspective may make visible flaws they were too close to see before.

So, keeping personality constant but taking into account a different perspective... how would one expect this person to act?

With dramatic mood swings, some confusion and a vague, ineffable feeling of anxiety. I believe this study might help, provided you can sift through the technical speak. Has some examples of patients with amnesia.

edited 1st Dec '10 4:09:46 PM by QQQQQ

Whoa. Thanks.

I used to know a lot about amnesia, but I forgot.

Thanks for being real helpful.

Go to Yack Fest, I think you'd like it better there.

Hey, at no point did I say that my pithy comment would be funny.