Dissociation dans l’atteinte de la mémoire rétrograde dans un cas d’encéphalite herpétique

Abstract

Objective: To report an uncommon case of memory impairment after meningoencephalitis. Method: Detailed description of the history, the lesions, the evolution and review of the bibliography. Results: A 33 year-old man showed a loss of verbal anterograde memory and a dissociation of retrograde memory impairment after an herpetic meningo-encephalitis with lesions predominant in the left temporal lobe. The patient had impairment of verbal anterograde memory. Visual memory, procedural one were intact. He had normal performances in frontal tests. Neuropsychological assessment revealed major loss of episodic biographical memory and public events memory, but sparing of semantic biographical memory and professional knowledge. This patient who was amnesic but who had not difficulties with visual memory, procedural memory, frontal abilities and didactic memory conserved ability to work. Conclusion: This case report emphasize the multiplicity of the memory systems and the likely links between episodic biographical memory, semantic biographical memory, autobiographic episodic memory, public event memory and didactic memory.