Memory enhancement induced by hypothalamic/fornix deep brain stimulation.
Bilateral hypothalamic deep brain stimulation was performed to treat a patient with morbid obesity. We observed, quite unexpectedly, that stimulation evoked detailed autobiographical memories. Associative memory tasks conducted in a double-blinded "on" versus "off" manner demonstrated that stimulation increased recollection but not familiarity-based recognition, indicating a functional engagement of the hippocampus. Electroencephalographic source localization showed that hypothalamic deep brain stimulation drove activity in mesial temporal lobe structures. This shows that hypothalamic stimulation in this patient modulates limbic activity and improves certain memory functions.
Hamani
Clement
C
Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital and Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
McAndrews
Mary Pat
MP
Cohn
Melanie
M
Oh
Michael
M
Zumsteg
Dominik
D
Shapiro
Colin M
CM
Wennberg
Richard A
RA
Lozano
Andres M
AM
D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology; D001069:Appetite Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D003714:Denervation / Q000379:methods; D020712:Fornix, Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000628:therapy*; D020534:Parahippocampal Gyrus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome