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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice
Published on: June 4, 2020
A case series of epilepsy-derived memory impairment resembling Alzheimer disease
Masumi Ito1, Noriko Echizenya, Daisuke Nemoto
1Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tenshi Hospital, Sapporo, Japan. mitou-psy@umin.ac.jp
Abstract:
We report 4 cases of epilepsy-derived progressive memory disturbances that clinically resembled Alzheimer disease. The patients were 3 women and 1 man, aged 56 to 79 years. The greatest disturbance was in recent memory. The patients' remote memory and orientation were relatively intact. Mental dullness and a decline in daily activities were also observed. No overt seizures were observed in any of the patients. Electroencephalography (EEG) revealed spikes in the left temporal region in 3 patients and in the left central region in the other patient. Single photon emission computed tomography or positron emission tomography revealed focal areas of hypofunction in the frontal, parietal, and parietotemporal regions. Performance of activities and memory improved rapidly in all patients after treatment with carbamazepine; the improvement was maintained after more than a year. It might be speculated that epileptic discharges caused dysfunction in the temporal lobe and the remote cortex through the neocortical and mesiotemporal network. EEG would be useful to rule out the possibility of a reversible condition in patients with cognitive disturbance. Moreover, investigation of this epilepsy-related condition with the combination of EEG and neurofunctional imaging might provide clues to clarify the pathophysiology of Alzheimer disease.
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Amnesia
The severity and duration of memory loss vary depending on the type and underlying cause. Amnesia is classified into two main types: retrograde and anterograde.
Retrograde amnesia is marked by the loss of memories formed before the onset of the condition. Patients may recall distant past events but often forget those occurring shortly before the incident.
Anterograde...
