Abstracts

Learning and Memory Function and Its Relation with Hemispheric Epileptogenic Focus in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Subjects: Theories of the Double and the Simple Concordance

Abstract number : 1.192
Submission category : Neuropsychology/Language Cognition-Adult
Year : 2006
Submission ID : 6326
Source : www.aesnet.org
Presentation date : 12/1/2006 12:00:00 AM
Published date : Nov 30, 2006, 06:00 AM

Authors :
1Daniel Fuentes, 1Felipe Santiago, 2Blaise Christe, 4Leandro F. Malloy-Diniz, 1,3Clarice Gorenstein, and 1Kette Valente

According to some specific investigations, Left Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (LTLE) is related to verbal learning and memory deficits whereas Right Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (RTLE) is associated to visual learning and memory deficits. The authors claimed these findings as Theory of Double Concordance. However, further investigations demonstrated impaired performance on learning and memory tests for verbal stimuli in subjects with LTLE, but no visual learning and memory impairments in subjects with RTLE. The authors designated these findings as Theory of the Simple Concordance. In order to corroborate the aforementioned distinct theories, the authors analyzed the neuropsychological testing performance of learning and memory skills for visual and verbal stimuli in a large sample of subjects with LTLE and RTLE., 180 subjects, 84 with LTLE and 96 with RTLE, were evaluated with a neuropsychological testing battery made by: Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and the Logical Memory-WMS-R (LM) to evaluate verbal learning and memory and the Rey Visual Design Learning Test (RVDLT) and the Visual Reproduction-WMS-R to assess visual learning and memory.
The Student t test statistical analysis was employed to compare the means of the parametric data., LTLE subjects showed significantly worse performance on the RAVLT (p[lt]0,01) and on the Logical Memory (p[lt]0,01) than RTLE. However, the visual tests yielded no statistically significant differences., The findings herein support the Theory of the Simple Concordance, suggesting that verbal abilities depend on the integrity of the left temporal lobe, whereas visual abilities are not necessarily correlated to the right temporal lobe.,
Behavior/Neuropsychology