Memory

[Torak]

Hi everyone.

I've some curiosity about memory.

I have temporal lobe epilepsy, hypometabolic region in the left temporal lobe.

I believe this has impaired my verbal memory but boosted my visual memory.

I have no end of problems remembering text by rote, words, caused me problems doing exams at school and at university (going back a few years there, i'm 37 now). Imagery is what i need. If I have a picture I can remember huge stacks of information, even new things that I learn I can tie to the picture and remember with amazing clarity just from the one word that triggers the image and brings out the flood of info.

For example, I can remember reading my fathers engineering books when I was 5 and learning about cavitation, iron and aluminium refining, milling machines etc...

The picture sticks and information attaches itself to it as life goes on, including new things from reading or from TV (e.g. from Mythbusters).

tbh I can still remember shedloads of junk about particle physics and cosmology just from imagery on wikipedia (ok ok, i'm a geek :-P )

I've heard from many people that my memory is abnormally good, tho I admit I don't have a photographic memory, not by any stretch of the imagination.

I'd like to hear from people who have right and left lobe temporal lobe epilepsy, as I'm curious about memory and how it works.

How has temporal lobe epilepsy affected your memory? do you feel that you have problems with either visual or verbal aspects of your memory? and do you think that 'the other side' of your memory has picked up the slack and boosted its abilities?

[epileric]

I find it hard to figure out if it's the epilepsy that's effected my memory or my medications. I know that certain medications make it worse but that doesn't mean it's just the pills that are effecting it.

I do think it's so great though that you know how your memory works. I would think that fact alone would make you a great student.

[Cint]

I have LTLE and have bad verbal aspects. Actually, overall my memory is bad, but I had a LTL lobectomy.

For info on memory and epilepsy:

http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/thi...emory_epilepsy