TRANSIENT EPILEPTIC AMNESIA DIFFERENTIATED FROM PSYCHOGENIC FUGUE - NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL, EEG, AND PET FINDINGS

A patient had repeated episodes of transient loss of memory, which had been attributed to psychogenic causes. Preservation of his sense of p ersonal identity and the presence of repetitive questioning indicated an organic basis, however, and the multiplicity of the attacks and the ir brief duration suggested an epileptic aetiology. Although three sta ndard EEGs, CT and MRI were all normal, two sleep EEGs confirmed bilat eral foci in the temporal lobes. The attacks responded to an anticonvu lsant. A fluoro-deoxyglucose PET scan, performed a few months after th e most recent attack, was normal. The patient also had impaired antero grade memory that persisted six months after recovery from the acute a ttacks.