INTELLECTUAL CHANGES FOLLOWING TEMPORAL LOBECTOMY FOR PSYCHOMOTOR EPILEPSY: PRELIMINARY COMMUNICATION

Abstract
Testing of patients undergoing temporal lobectomy for psychomotor epilepsy suggests that following the operation: (1) General intelligence is relatively unimpaired. (2) Specific abilities may be impaired, at least for some time. (3) A significant learning disability may result. (4) The disability is strongly associated with lesions of the dominant hemisphere. (5) The disability may still be present a year after operation. (6) The learning disability is not a function of the level of intelligence of the patient or of intellectual changes following operation.