Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1973 Jun;36(3):421–430. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.36.3.421

Limbic dementia1

Generoso G Gascon 1,2,3, Floyd Gilles 1,2,3
PMCID: PMC494342  PMID: 4714104

Abstract

This is the second reported case, known to the authors, of complete, but selective, limbic lobe destruction in previously normally functioning central nervous systems. Both cases had an amnestic syndrome, whose characteristics were essentially similar to amnestic syndromes previously documented with less complete limbic destruction, with one difference—confabulation remained a prominent feature in the chronic stages of the memory disorder. Our patient exhibited a behavioural syndrome similar to that reported by Klüver and Bucy in monkeys with bilateral anterior temporal lobectomies. Klüver-Bucy like syndromes in man have usually been reported with surgical lesions, usually in patients with pre-existent brain disorder. Our case illustrates that the syndrome can be produced by necrotizing encephalitic lesions. We suggest that the combination of the above two syndromes is essentially a `limbic dementia'.

Full text

PDF
425

Images in this article

423Image
on p.423
424Image
on p.424
424Image
on p.424
425Image
on p.425

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ANGEVINE J. B., Jr, LOCKE S., YAKOVLEV P. I. LIMBIC NUCLEI OF THALAMUS AND CONNECTIONS OF LIMBIC CORTEX. V. THALAMOCORTICAL PROJECTION OF THE MAGNOCELLULAR MEDICAL DORSAL NUCLEUS IN MAN. Arch Neurol. 1964 Feb;10:165–180. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1964.00460140051008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Corsellis J. A., Goldberg G. J., Norton A. R. "Limbic encephalitis" and its association with carcinoma. Brain. 1968 Sep;91(3):481–496. doi: 10.1093/brain/91.3.481. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. DRACHMAN D. A., ADAMS R. D. Herpes simplex and acute inclusion-body encephalitis. Arch Neurol. 1962 Jul;7:45–63. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1962.04210010051005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. DRACHMAN D. A., OMMAYA A. K. MEMORY AND THE HIPPOCAMPAL COMPLEX. Arch Neurol. 1964 Apr;10:411–425. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1964.00460160081008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. DeJong R. N., Itabashi H. H., Olson J. R. Memory loss due to hippocampal lesions. Report of a case. Arch Neurol. 1969 Apr;20(4):339–348. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1969.00480100015001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Drachman D. A., Arbit J. Memory and the hippocampal complex. II. Is memory a multiple process? Arch Neurol. 1966 Jul;15(1):52–61. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1966.00470130056005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Faris A. A. Limbic system infarction. A report of two cases. Neurology. 1969 Jan;19(1):91–96. doi: 10.1212/wnl.19.1.91. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Friedman H. M., Allen N. Chronic effects of complete limbic lobe destruction in man. Neurology. 1969 Jul;19(7):679–690. doi: 10.1212/wnl.19.7.679. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. GLEES P., GRIFFITH H. B. Bilateral destruction of the hippocampus (cornu ammonis) in a case of dementia. Monatsschr Psychiatr Neurol. 1952 Apr-May;123(4-5):193–204. doi: 10.1159/000140010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gainotti G. Emotional behavior and hemispheric side of the lesion. Cortex. 1972 Mar;8(1):41–55. doi: 10.1016/s0010-9452(72)80026-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Geschwind N. Disconnexion syndromes in animals and man. II. Brain. 1965 Sep;88(3):585–644. doi: 10.1093/brain/88.3.585. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Krishan A., Uzman B. G., Hedley-Whyte E. T. Nuclear bodies: a component of cell nuclei in hamster tissues and human tumors. J Ultrastruct Res. 1967 Aug 30;19(5):563–572. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(67)80082-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MACLEAN P. D. Some psychiatric implications of physiological studies on frontotemporal portion of limbic system (visceral brain). Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1952 Nov;4(4):407–418. doi: 10.1016/0013-4694(52)90073-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. MEYER E., BYERS R. K. Measles encephalitis; a follow up study of sixteen patients. AMA Am J Dis Child. 1952 Nov;84(5):543–579. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MacLEAN P. D. Psychosomatic disease and the visceral brain; recent developments bearing on the Papez theory of emotion. Psychosom Med. 1949 Nov-Dec;11(6):338–353. doi: 10.1097/00006842-194911000-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Malamud N. Psychiatric disorder with intracranial tumors of limbic system. Arch Neurol. 1967 Aug;17(2):113–123. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1967.00470260003001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. NATHAN P. W., SMITH M. C. Normal mentality associated with a maldeveloped "rhinencephalon". J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1950 Aug;13(3):191–197. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.13.3.191. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. PENFIELD W., MILNER B. Memory deficit produced by bilateral lesions in the hippocampal zone. AMA Arch Neurol Psychiatry. 1958 May;79(5):475–497. doi: 10.1001/archneurpsyc.1958.02340050003001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Pribram K. H. The neurophysiology of remembering. Sci Am. 1969 Jan;220(1):73–86. doi: 10.1038/scientificamerican0169-73. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. ROSE F. C., SYMONDS C. P. Persistent memory defect following encephalitis. Brain. 1960;83:195–212. doi: 10.1093/brain/83.2.195. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. SCOVILLE W. B., MILNER B. Loss of recent memory after bilateral hippocampal lesions. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1957 Feb;20(1):11–21. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.20.1.11. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. SCOVILLE W. B. The limbic lobe in man. J Neurosurg. 1954 Jan;11(1):64–66. doi: 10.3171/jns.1954.11.1.0064. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. TERZIAN H., ORE G. D. Syndrome of Klüver and Bucy; reproduced in man by bilateral removal of the temporal lobes. Neurology. 1955 Jun;5(6):373–380. doi: 10.1212/wnl.5.6.373. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. VICTOR M., ANGEVINE J. B., Jr, MANCALL E. L., FISHER C. M. [Memory loss with lesions of hippocampal formation. Report of a case with some remarks on the anatomical basis of memory]. Arch Neurol. 1961 Sep;5:244–263. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1961.00450150010002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES