Localization of Discharge in Temporal Lobe Automatism

THE PURPOSE of the present study is to examine a recent series of cases of temporal lobe epilepsy and to localize more exactly those areas of temporal gray matter in which epileptic discharge produces automatism and its attendant amnesia. It seems evident that this study should throw some light on the fascinating subject of the mechanism of memory recording. It is clearly established that a local discharge arising in the neighborhood of an epileptogenic lesion in one temporal lobe frequently gives rise to attacks described as automatism, uncinate fits (Hughlings Jackson1), or psychomotor epilepsy (Gibbs, Gibbs, and Fuster, 19482). During the attack the patient may move about, fumbling with his clothing and smacking his lips, in a state of complete confusion, resistant to reason and brooking no interference. Or, on the other hand, he may seem to be no more than slightly confused and may carry out complicated