Transient global amnesia （TGA） is a disease with dramatic manifestations. It is often induced by the physical or psychogenic factors, and is characterized by a sudden onset of anterograde amnesia accompanied by repeated asking of questions, lasting for minutes or hours. The study of TGA mainly focused on the aspects of etiological and pathological mecha- nisms. Currently, there are several following hypotheses： Transient ischemic attack, epilepsy, migraine, cerebral venous ischemia or venous embolism, personality disorder or emotional stimulation. The prognosis of TGA is better with low recurrence rate. No specific treatment is needed. This article reviews the advances in research on TGA.