Left posteroventral pallidotomy results in a deficit in verbal memory

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Crowe, S.F. | O'Sullivan, J.D.^; | Peppard, R.F. | McNeill, P.M. | Bardenhagen, F.^; | Bowden, S.^;

Affiliations: School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic., Australia | Department of Clinical Neuroscience, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Vic., Australia | Department of Neurology, Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Melbourne, Vic., Australia | School of Behavioural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Vic., Australia

Note: [] Corresponding author: Simon F. Crowe, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic. 3083, Australia. Tel.: +61 3 9479 1380; Fax: +61 3 9479 1829; E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: Whilst pallidotomy is emerging as a popular approach to the treatment to Parkinson's disease, little is yet known about the cognitive effects of this procedure. This study presents 19 patients (6 right, 13 left) who were assessed both before and after the procedure on a battery of cognitive tests. The results indicate that subjects with left-sided lesions display significant decline in verbal memory between one and three months following the procedure. The results are consistent with the notion of either a classic amnesic syndrome or a deficit in striato-frontal working memory.

Keywords: Pallidotomy, memory, Parkinson's disease, globus pallidus interna, basal ganglia

Journal: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 79-84, 1998