Neuropsychological outcome following anterior temporal lobectomy in patients with and without the syndrome of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

• Published in: Neuropsychology Vol. 12; no. 2; p. 303
• Main Authors: Seidenberg, M, Hermann, B, Wyler, A R, Davies, K, Dohan, Jr, F C, Leveroni, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.04.1998
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Case-Control Studies; Cerebral Decortication - adverse effects; Cognition Disorders - etiology; Cognition Disorders - surgery; Dominance, Cerebral - physiology; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe - complications; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe - pathology; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe - surgery; Female; Hippocampus - pathology; Hippocampus - surgery; Humans; Language Disorders - etiology; Male; Memory Disorders - etiology; Memory Disorders - surgery; Neuropsychological Tests; Regression Analysis; Sclerosis; Severity of Illness Index; Temporal Lobe - pathology; Temporal Lobe - surgery; Treatment Outcome; Verbal Learning - physiology
• ISSN: 0894-4105
• DOI: 10.1037/0894-4105.12.2.303

The nature, pattern, and degree of neuropsychological change following anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) were examined as a function of the presence or absence of the syndrome of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Fifty-four patients exhibited the syndrome of MTLE, while 34 patients were without the syndrome (non-MTLE). The test-retest performance of a group of 40 epilepsy patients who did not undergo surgery was used to derive regression-based estimates of test-retest change. Overall, the MTLE group did not show significant cognitive decline following ATL. In contrast, the left non-MTLE group showed significant declines on verbal memory, confrontation naming, and verbal conceptual ability. Further, verbal memory was the most substantial area of decline, and was independent of seizure outcome. Clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.