Memory function decline over 18 months after selective amygdalohippocampectomy

Abstract

ABSTRACT We report on a 22 year‐old woman with left temporal lobe epilepsy who had suffered complex partial seizures since childhood. At 19 years 10 months of age she underwent selective amygdalohippocampectomy, which resulted in a complete cessation of seizures. Preoperatively, the Logical Memory II section of the WMS‐R revealed poor logical memory function. Postoperatively, the patient's scores on several neuropsychological tests had deteriorated, namely, the Miyake Paired‐Associate Word Learning Test (related and unrelated pairs), several sections of the WMS‐R (Figural Memory, Logical memory I, Visual Reproduction II, Visual Paired Associates I, and Verbal Paired Associates I and II), and the BVRT‐R. In particular, her scores on the Visual Paired Associates I, Verbal Paired Associates I and II sections of the WMS‐R, and the BVRT‐R not only declined at one and three months post‐surgery, but also showed progressive deterioration at 16 and 18 months post‐surgery. It should be kept in mind that selective amygdalohippocampectomy can result in progressive postoperative, deterioration in some aspects of memory function.