PREOPERATIVE EEG PREDICTS MEMORY AND SELECTIVE COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS AFTER TEMPORAL-LOBE SURGERY

Preoperative and postoperative cognitive and memory functions, psychia tric outcome, and EEGs were evaluated in 32 epileptic patients who und erwent temporal lobe surgery. The presence and location of preoperativ e slow wave focus in routine EEG predicted memory functions of the non -resected side after surgery. Neuropsychological tests of the function of the frontal lobes also showed improvement. Moreover, psychiatric r atings showed that seizure free patients had significantly less affect ive symptoms postoperatively than those who were still exhibiting seiz ures. After temporal lobectomies, successful outcome in postoperative memory functions can be achieved in patients with unilateral slow: wav e activity in preoperative EEGs. This study suggests a new role for ro utine EEG in preoperative evaluation of patients with temporal lobe ep ilepsy.