Psychology 9-1 GCSE - 

2.1.3 - Understand retrograde and anterograde amnesia, including:

a) The term 'retrograde amnesia' - 

Also known as psychogenic amnesia, refers to the loss of memory surrounding a physically or emotionally traumatic event and can be global (loss of all memories) or limited to memories specific to the events that the victim might psychologically want to stop remembering. This type of memory loss can be short term and does not always include physical damage to the brain. This type generally includes not only the event itself but also events shortly before or after the event. People with this usually have no difficulty learning new information.

b) The term 'anterograde amnesia' - 

An individuals inability to form new memories following a traumatic event. Leading to partial or complete inability to recall the recent past, while long term memories from before the event remain intact. It is thought the damage to sites in the temporal cortex are responsible for this type of amnesia.

c) The symptoms of retrograde amnesia -

• Trouble remembering psychologically traumatic memories
• No physical damage to the brain causing the memory loss.
• Memories start to reappear again over time.

d) The symptoms of anterograde amnesia - 

• Inability to form new memories.
• Older memories from before the trauma intact
• Damage to the prefrontal cortex.