Memory outcome following transsylvian selective amygdalohippocampectomy in 62 patients with hippocampal sclerosis

It remains unclear whether selective amygdalohippocampectomy, an operative technique developed for use in epilepsy surgery to spare unaffected brain tissue and thus minimize the cognitive consequences of temporal lobe surgery, actually leads to a better memory outcome. The present study was performed to determine the effects of selective surgery on memory outcome in patients with intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy due to hippocampal sclerosis treated using transsylvian selective amygdalohippocampectomy (TSA).

The study population consisted of 62 patients with left hemisphere language dominance who underwent left-(31 patients) or right-sided (31 patients) TSA. All patients underwent comprehensive neuropsychological testing before and 1 month and 1 year after unilateral TSA. Verbal Memory I, Nonverbal Memory I, Total Memory, Attention, and Delayed Recall were assessed using the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, whereas Verbal Memory II was assessed using the Miyake Verbal Retention Test (MVRT), and Nonverbal Memory II was assessed using the Benton Visual Retention Test. Separate repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were performed for these intervals with memory scores.

The results of MANOVA indicated that patients who underwent right-sided TSA showed significant improvements in Verbal Memory I (preoperatively vs 1 month postoperatively, p < 0.0001; and preoperatively vs 1 year postoperatively, p = 0.0002), Nonverbal Memory I (preoperatively vs 1 month postoperatively, p = 0.0003; and preoperatively vs 1 year postoperatively, p = 0.006), and Delayed Recall (preoperatively vs 1 month postoperatively, p = 0.028) at both 1-month and 1-year follow-ups. In addition, Verbal Memory II (MVRT) was also significantly improved 1 year after surgery (p = 0.001). In the group of patients who underwent left-sided TSA, both Verbal Memory I and II were maintained at the same level 1 month after surgery, whereas the Verbal Memory I score 1 year after surgery increased with marginal significance (p = 0.074). In addition, Verbal Memory II showed significant improvement 1 year after surgery (p = 0.049). There were no significant changes in Nonverbal Memory I and II, Attention, or Delayed Recall at either the 1-month or 1-year follow-up.

Results of the present study indicated that left-sided TSA for hippocampal sclerosis tends to improve verbal memory function with the preservation of other types of memory function. Moreover, right-sided TSA for hippocampal sclerosis can lead to significant improvement in memory function, with memory improvement observed 1 month after right-sided TSA and persisting 1 year after surgery.