Transient epileptic amnesia syndrome

Butler CR, Ann Neurol 2007; 61:587-598

Another hard to diagnose syndrome. 50 patients were recruited with recurrent amnesia, other cognitive functions intact, and compelling evidence of epilepsy. 24 controls also were studied. Clinical pearls to diagnosing this include: average age 62, frequent spells (eg one a month for a year), duration 30-60 minutes, occurrence upon awakening, prompt cessation with antiepileptic drug treatment. Neurocognitively patients complained of forgetting, but did well on standard (? what) neuropsych, but with accelerated forgetting of verbal and visual material over 3 weeks and some loss of autobiographical memory. Its diagnosis is usually missed.