title: [Pure progressive amnesia, isolated for 16 years with focal hippocampus atrophy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pure progressive amnesia is a rare and unusual syndrome involving long preservation of autonomy and absence of progression in other cognitive domains.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case which remained quiescent for 16 years characterized by severe isolated episodic amnesia and preservation of spatial, semantic and implicit memory and autonomy. MRI revealed bilateral focal atrophy of the hippocampus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This specific pattern of impairment differs from other types of amnesic syndromes. It is important to identify this kind of amnesia because of its specific course. Studying the topography of the brain lesions may contribute to a better understanding of the neural systems involved in declarative memory.
authors.affiliation: Unité de neuropsychologie, CM2R, CHU Nord, avenue Albert-Raimond, 42055 Saint-Etienne cedex 02, France. aurel.richard@gmail.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richard-Mornas
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Foyatier-Michel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomas-Antérion
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000647:Amnesia / Q000209:etiology*; D001284:Atrophy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D026684:Personal Autonomy