Amygdalotomy for bilateral temporal lobe seizures.

A 37-year-old woman had bilateral anygdalotomy for psychomotor and minor motor seizures and long periods of very pronounced mental depression. The patient has been seizure-free for four years postoperatively. A preoperative left temporal spike focus disappeared after extensive left anygdalotomy. Of particular interest in this case is the recovery of olfactory and memory functions which were partially impaired by the bilateral lesions. Bilateral anygdalotomy is effective in relieving temporal lobe seizures without the complications and deficits that usually occur with resections of the bilateral temporal lobe.