title: Verbal memory disturbances in left temporal lobe epileptics.
abstract: The relationship between laterality of paroxysmal discharges and characteristics of disturbances in memory functioning was investigated in temporal lobe epileptics. Subjects consisted of 22 temporal lobe epileptic patients, in whom the foci of the paroxysmal discharges were localized to one side of the temporal regions. The left focus group consisted of 10 patients; the right focus group, 12. Subjects were required to recognize verbal material presented to one hemisphere by means of a tachistoscope. The left focus group alone failed to demonstrate a right visual field superiority in these tasks. It was concluded that the left focus group specifically demonstrate disturbances in verbal memory functioning, particularly when stimuli were presented to the left hemisphere. Paroxysmal discharges seemed to interfere with normal memory functioning in the region where the foci of these discharges were found.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D014706:Verbal Learning