Psychological status related to surgical control of temporal lobe seizures

Patients who underwent temporal lobe surgery with diagnosis aided by stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) were evaluated psychosocially before surgery and at one month and one year after surgery. Patients who were not operated on but who also had been evaluated by SEEG served as controls. These patients were evaluated at time periods comparable to those of the operated cases. At one year after surgery, patients whose seizures had been relieved had improved in Degree of Dependency, Work Performance, and Non-Family Relationships. Patients whose seizures were not controlled by surgery and nonoperated patients did not show any significant change in psychosocial measurements one year postoperatively. Psychosocial improvements were seen regardless of the side of the brain operated. While patients whose seizure were reduced experienced memory deficits of the type associated with side of the temporal lobe resection, the data suggested that there was improvement in intellectual score and, in the case of right-sided surgery patients, memory functions associated with the contralateral, intact hemisphere.