Psychological changes following surgery for tumors in the temporal lobe.

Twenty patients with a tumor in the temporal lobe underwent extensive neuropsychological testing pre- and postoperatively, with special regard to verbal and nonverbal memory. All patients had bilateral abnormalities preoperatively. Contralateral functions tended to improve after surgery, contrary to the outcome expected in patients with bilateral abnormalities due to atrophic lesions. Computerized tomography was the most useful neurodiagnostic test in correctly identifying the nature of the lesion in these patients.