[Selective memory impairment for public events associated with accelerated forgetting in a patient with left temporal lobe epilepsy].
BACKGROUND
Memory for the past has been much less explored than anterograde memory in temporal lobe epilepsy. No data are available about the course after surgical treatment. Moreover, case-reports showing isolated memory deficit for publics events with preserved autobiographical memory are notorious for their paucity.


METHODS
We report the case of a patient with a left hippocampal lesion associated with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Comprehensive neuropsychological assessments were carried out before and after temporal lobectomy, stressing particularly memory for the past by means of standardised and tailor-made tests.


RESULTS
The patient exhibited preserved memory for autobiographical events and facts but impaired scores on several public event tests, in the context of preserved general abilities. Furthermore, we found an accelerated forgetting rate for verbal and non verbal material.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the patient's impaired long-term consolidation might have contributed to the impaired performance on public event memory tests. We discuss the specific features of new events processing that may contribute to its increased vulnerability relative to autobiographical memory, in the event of accelerated forgetting.
Manning
L
L
Neuropsychologie, UPS858 CNRS, LN2C CNRS7521 et Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France.
Voltzenlogel
V
V
Chassagnon
S
S
Hirsch
E
E
Kehrli
P
P
Maitrot
D
D
D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016896:Treatment Outcome