MMPI profiles of normal people who display frequent temporal-lobe signs

Comparisons were made between personality (MMPI) profiles of 26 part-time university students who scored in the upper and 29 students who scored in the lower one-quarter of the range on a scale that measures temporal-lobe signs in the normal population. Compared to the reference group, the subjects who displayed more temporal-lobe signs showed statistically significant elevations above a T score of 70 on Schizophrenia and Hypomania. There were secondary elevations on Psychasthenia and frequency scales. Similar profiles whose high-point scores display greater amplitude are typical for patients with schizotypal disorders and for many patients who have long histories of temporal lobe epilepsy. These results support the existence of a continuum of temporal-lobe lability that extends into the normal population.