Relationship between presurgical memory performance on the Wechsler Memory Scale-III and memory change following temporal resection for treatment of intractable epilepsy

Epilepsy Behav. 2008 Aug;13(2):372-5. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2008.04.024. Epub 2008 Jun 16.

Abstract

Previous research demonstrated a relationship between preoperative memory measured by the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) and postsurgical memory change in patients who underwent left (LATL), but not right (RATL) anterior temporal lobectomy. The current study replicated previous efforts using the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition (WMS-III) in a larger sample. The WMS-III was administered to 161 patients with medically intractable epilepsy prior to and approximately 6 months following LATL or RATL. Correlations between presurgical memory on WMS-III indices and memory change following surgery were calculated for each group. Significant negative relationships were found between pre- and postsurgical memory scores in patients who underwent LATL on all WMS-III measures (r=-0.31 to -0.43). Significant negative correlations were observed in patients who underwent RATL only on visual memory measures (r=-0.24 to -0.44). Findings support previous conclusions using the WMS-R showing that patients who undergo LATL with higher presurgical memory ability are at greater risk for memory decline following temporal resection than patients with lower presurgical memory scores.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anterior Temporal Lobectomy*
  • Dominance, Cerebral / physiology
  • Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / surgery*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Middle Aged
  • Postoperative Complications / diagnosis*
  • Prognosis
  • Psychometrics
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Wechsler Scales / statistics & numerical data*