Personality correlates of sphenoidal EEG-foci in temporal lobe epilepsy

Abstract

Patients with unilateral temporal lateral or temporal mediobasal epileptic focus as ascertained by sphenoidal electrode EEG recordings were evaluated using the questionnaire designed by Bear & Fedio (1977). The seventeen traits defined by the items in this questionnaire were also assessed by close observers in an equivalent questionnaire. Patients with medio-basal temporal lobe focus were found generally to exhibit "epileptic" personality traits to a greater extent than patients with lateral focus, and the results indicated that they also, more than patients with lateral focus, were characterized by a schizoid paranoid outlook. The patients with left temporal lobe focus were found to be emotionally labile compared to patients with right temporal lobe focus.Patients with lateral right-sided temporal focus had obviously the most benign psychological prognosis.The main discrepancies between the results of Bear & Fedio (1977) and the present study are briefly discussed.