Short-term psychological outcome of anterior temporal lobectomy

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the short-term behavioral and emotional effects of anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL). Forty-one patients who underwent ATL were administered a standardized measure of emotional adjustment (Mental Health Inventory) on four occasions: preoperatively, and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Patients who were rendered totally seizure-free by ATL showed significant improvements on multiple indices of psychological distress and psychological well-being, improvement that continued up to 3 months after surgery and remained constant at 6 months postoperatively. Patients who were significantly improved (greater than 75% reduction in seizure frequency) but continued to experience some seizure activity showed no significant improvements in behavioral or emotional adjustment. The clinical and theoretical significance of these findings is discussed, and it is suggested that functional outcome (for instance, mental health) following ATL may be best predicted by a binary seizure outcome classification (seizure-free or not seizure-free).