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Katie Couric has revealed that she has lost her memory from Transient Global Amnesia, a rare and temporary brain condition.
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The syndrome causes sudden memory loss that lasts up to 24 hours, but causes no permanent damage
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The risk increases with age, and doctors call it one of the most reliable diagnoses because it is not harmful
FRIDAY, July 10, 2026 (NewsDay News) – Former editor of “IMRUZ” show Katie Couric recently spent a few terrifying hours unable to remember the month, year or who was president — an episode he now knows was caused by a rare, temporary brain condition.
The 69-year-old Couric revealed on Substack that he had temporary global amnesiareports a sudden onset of memory loss that occurs without warning and usually clears up within a day NBC News.
The scare happened on Saturday, June 27. Couric spent the morning at a farmers market in Aspen, Colorado, stocking up on iced coffee, peaches and a straw hat, which he admitted he didn’t need. But when she and her husband went to the Aspen Ideas Festival later that day, her memory went blank. Asked for month, year and president, he got all three wrong.
Although alarming, transient global amnesia is considered benign. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), people retain a sense of who they are, remain alert, and fully recover without any neurological complications.
The condition is rare, it affects 3.4 to 10.4 every year to 100,000 people. But the NIH reports that the risk rises sharply with age, from 23.5 to 32 per 100,000 among people 50 and older.
Episodes usually last from 1 to 24 hours and usually occur during the day. During an attack, people may ask the same question over and over again.
If this happens, it is important to seek emergency medical help to prevent a stroke or seizure.
“It is one of the most distressing experiences for the patient and especially for their family members.” Dr. Laura Steinsays a vascular neurologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. NBC News. “But as a neurologist, it’s really one of the most reliable diagnoses because it’s good.”
The episodes have nothing to do with them Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or other lasting memory loss, and rarely happens more than once, according to NBC News. Syndrome is sometimes associated with it migraineand less often to mini-record or the blows.
Recurrence is rare, and an episode usually requires no treatment other than reassurance and rest, the NIH said.
Doctors often look for factors such as stress or strenuous exercise, Stein said, although those aren’t always found. “People are going back to their normal lives after such a terrible event,” he said.
Dr. Jennifer Polduraymedical director of Inova’s Brain Health and Memory Disorders Program in Fairfax, Virginia, said the brain’s circadian memory function makes it susceptible to subtle changes.
“Having this rare memory impairment shouldn’t be so scary,” he said. NBC News.
More information
For more information, visit the Mayo Clinic website temporary global amnesia.
SOURCES: NBC NewsJuly 8, 2026; National Institutes of Health, June 22, 2024
What does this mean for you?
If someone suddenly can’t form new memories but otherwise seems alert, seek medical attention right away to rule out a stroke—but know that temporary global amnesia, while scary, is usually harmless.
