Improvements in Memory After Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Surgery

This analysis offers initial clues to which patients are more likely than others to experience improvements.

Most studies examining the neuropsychological consequences of temporal lobe epilepsy surgery have highlighted the potential risks to memory, rather than potential benefits. The aim of this study was to identify preoperative factors that help predict which individuals will experience significant improvements in cognitive function after anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) for epilepsy. Participants were 237 patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS) who had undergone ATL and had completed neuropsychological assessments between 12 and 3 months preoperatively and again 12 months postoperatively. Patients were divided into those who showed postoperative improvement on testing and those who showed either no change or deterioration. Factors…

Reviewing Author

Evan D. Murray, MD