temporal lobe signs
Last reviewed 07/2021
The features of temporal lobe lesions are often slight.
Involving the auditory cortex:
- cortical deafness, may be complete if the lesion is bilateral - rare
- involving the surrounding association areas:
- in the dominant hemisphere - Wernicke's aphasia
- in the non-dominant hemisphere - amusia
- tinnitus, auditory hallucinations
- temporal lobe epilepsy - complex partial seizure in the temporal lobes
Involving the middle and inferior temporal gyri:
- disturbance of memory and learning - deja vu, jamais vu, post-ictal amnesia
Involving the limbic lobe:
- aggressive or antisocial behaviour
- inability to acquire new memories
- olfactory hallucinations, e.g. burning rubber
Involving the optic radiation:
- upper homonymous quadrantanopia
homonymous upper quadrantanopia