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N Foyatier

Publications and source records attributed to N Foyatier.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

[Primarily unilateral herpes encephalitis. Long-term neuropsychological study of 9 cases].

Nine cases of post-herpetic encephalitis with predominant involvement of one temporal lobe at CT scan or MRI (6 on the left and 3 on the right sides) were studied 1 to 6 years after onset with repeated language and memory testing. The neuropsychological findings were well correlated with the lateralization and size of the lesions, as previously observed in unilateral temporal lobectomy. Compared with the usual bilateral form, the sequelae were mild, and all the patients, especially those with right hemisphere involvement, resumed a subnormal family life or social activity. In patients with left predominant lesions the anterograde amnesia concerned verbal information, especially logical and abstract, without visual amnesia. In some cases, the episodic verbal amnesia was associated with a semantic deficit which included the knowledge of some words. In one patient the colour, use and mental imagery of some objects corresponding to forgotten words were involved only for some specific groups (natural objects, whereas man-made objects fared better). Testing of verbal memory is proposed to determine the role of the preserved minor hemisphere in learning the context of word presentation, and words with concrete and visual connections which are better recalled than those with abstract or logical link. Disorders of behaviour or mood are usual in the 2 groups of lesions. Thus, herpes encephalitis in these asymmetrical and benign forms in an attractive model to study the role played by the temporal lobe and lateralization in memory.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Biological, psychometric and tomodensitometric study of treated neurosyphilis].

Results of follow-up examinations of the CSF in 6 patients with neurosyphilis, including 5 with general paresis, following treatment with high doses of aqueous penicillin G are reported. Persistence of any residual active infection of the nervous system could be eliminated since as well as fairly rapid restoration of normal CSF cytology and chemistry there was a slow reduction (and sometimes return to normal) of initially very high levels of immunoglobulins G, disappearance of their oligoclonal distribution (3 cases), and negativation of quantitative immunofluorescence serology (F.T.A. ABS). Clinical efficacy of treatment was shown by stabilization of the intellectual deficit investigated by serial psychometric tests. Memory disturbances were prominent mainly in the initial stages, and sometimes adopted a rather frontal nature. Psychometric tests can contribute to the assessment of initial extension of the treponemic infection in the aborted types of general paresis. The atrophy observed constantly on CT scans appeared to be stationary on serial examinations (2 cases). It was of a diffuse type affecting cortical sulci and ventricles. The onset of anomalies such as ischemic complications was not related to recurrence of infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

[Left paramedian thalamic infarct. Memory and language study].

Unusual findings in a patient with a paramedian infarct of the left thalamus, shown by CT scan were the elective nature and long duration of memory disorders. Mild amnesia has been relatively stable for two years, and is apparent during tests as an anterograde verbal memory deficiency for all modalities (serial, associative, logical), without facilitation during learning or recall by semantic or phonologic cues. On the other hand, anterograde visual, gestual or tactile memory, and particularly retrograde verbal and visual memory are well retained. The worsening effect of verbal interferences on word learning is emphasized, whereas no similar phenomenon has been observed for visual material. The antero-internal thalamic lesion in the dominant hemisphere results in a memory disorder of a particular type which cannot be explained by the cognitive disorder, or by the very transient initial aphasic disturbance. Prolonged verbal amnesia with persistent reduction in fluency most probably results from a deficiency of specific incitation in using and memorizing verbal material, without other negligence phenomena. The role of the thalamocortical and particularly frontocingular connections are discussed, according to the semiology.

Association Learning↗