[Processes of verbal memory in patients with involuntary movements treated by thalamotomy]

The authors tested verbal memory and learning in 15 patients with motor disturbances treated by ventrolateral thalamotomy before operation and late after it, after a mean time of 5.8 years. Disturbances of verbal memory in the form of retrieval of information from the memory stores and disturbances of learning of verbal material were found already before the operation. In comparative investigations late after the operation greater disturbances of verbal memory were observed with disturbances of verbal retrieval from memory stores after damage to the VL nucleus in the left as well as right thalamus. On the other hand, no decrease of the mental efficiency of these patients was demonstrated.