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The association of multiple personality and temporolimbic epilepsy. Intracarotid amobarbital test observations
G L Ahern1, A M Herring, J Tackenberg
1Department of Neurology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson 85724.
Objective:
What is the relationship of "multiple personality disorder" in patients with temporolimbic epilepsy to certain types of hemispheric interaction?
Design:
Case series.
Setting:
Tertiary care referral center.
Patients:
Two patients with temporolimbic epilepsy considered to be surgical candidates referred for the intracarotid amobarbital sodium procedure (IAP). Each individual had presented with different "personalities" in a characteristic temporal relationship to their seizures.
Interventions:
Intracarotid amobarbital sodium procedure, Wada test, and electroencephalogram.
Main Outcome Measures:
Behavioral observations made during the performance of the IAP.
Results:
During the IAP, each patient's peri-ictal "personality" changes were precisely replicated. No seizure activity was noted during the IAPs.
Conclusions:
These observations suggest that the association of multiple personality and temporolimbic epilepsy is not dependent on seizure discharges per se, but rather may be related to certain types of hemispheric interaction.