title: Memory in children with temporal or extra-temporal excisions.
abstract: Memory was assessed before and after surgery in 44 children and adolescents with focal epilepsy who underwent either right temporal, left temporal or extra-temporal excisions. Measures included tests of verbal (story recall, and verbal list learning) and visually mediated (recall of a complex design, face recognition) memory. Changes in children's memory from pre- to post-operative assessment were examined and individual differences in outcome were evaluated. Although substantial variability existed in performance, no group differences or post-operative changes were found for measures of verbal memory or design recall. For face recognition, all groups improved after surgery, although children with right temporal resections performed more poorly than the other groups. Finally, with the exception of face recognition, no material-specific effects were observed before or after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8. donald.mabbott@sickkids.on.ca
authors.forename: Donald J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mabbott
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014706:Verbal Learning