THE NATURE OF BEHAVIORAL-DISORDERS IN HUMAN KLUVER-BUCY SYNDROME

We examined the clinical features of a 69-year-old patient who develop ed a Kluver-Bucy syndrome (KBS; e.g., hyperorality, bulimia, hypersexu ality, placidity) after two cerebral ischemic episodes. He performed a bnormally on cognitive tasks that required attention: response inhibit ion, and the ability to shift central sets. He showed mild deficits in verbal and nonverbal memory, as well as in visuospatial abilities. La nguage was minimally affected, and he had no visual agnosia. Although the magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed the presence of isc hemic infarcts in both hemispheres involving posterior and anterior ci rculation territories, it failed to reveal structural damage that coul d explain the patient's KBS. These findings have implications for unde rstanding KBS, in which damage to frontal-temporal pathways may lead t o a profound impairment of the ability that regulates behavior and the interaction with the environment.