What does retrograde amnesia refer to?

Retrograde amnesia specifically refers to the inability to recall information that was previously encoded and stored in memory before the onset of amnesia. This condition can occur following various types of brain injury or trauma, affecting the ability to remember events, facts, or skills that were learned prior to the development of the amnesic condition. The memories that are lost typically relate to events that occurred shortly before the onset of amnesia, but in some cases, it can affect more distant memories as well.

This phenomenon contrasts with anterograde amnesia, where an individual has difficulty forming new memories after the onset of the condition. While both types of amnesia deal with the inability to access memories, retrograde amnesia focuses on recalling past information rather than the inability to learn new information. Understanding this distinction is crucial in the context of memory and cognitive psychology.