Amnesia in Korsakoff's syndrome: Compare and contrast the amnesia associated with bilateral medial-temporal lobectomy and that associated with Korsakoff's syndrome

Amnesia in Korsakoff's syndrome: Compare and contrast the amnesia associated with bilateral medial-temporal lobectomy and that associated with Korsakoff's syndrome

Introduction

This essay highlights narratives and expressions of many amnesic patients about consequences of memory and learning in their lives. It provides current literature by comparing and contrasting the amnesia associated with bi-lateral medial-temporal lobectomy and amnesia associated with Korsakoff's syndrome. The study of various reflections, articles, and research study illustrates a distinctive idea about both studies. Amnesia is associated with bilateral medial temporal lobectomy has commonalities with Korsakoff's syndrome (Milner, n.d).

The removal of medial portions of temporal bones, hippocampus, adjacent cortex, and amygdale exemplifies about the medical procedure of temporal lobectomy. Research also revealed that such structural removals from brain have no long-term effects on memories. Episodic memories and semantic memories are primary causes of such damages. However, in Korsakoff's syndrome, there is inhibition of ability to retrieve information.

This is due to damage on hypothalamus, neocortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, and medial thalamus. Additionally it also affects the episodic memories for one's life experiences. Korsakoff's syndrome is a disease, and bilateral medial temporal lobectomy is a medical procedure (Christian, 2003). Korsakoffs may develop retrograde amnesia that can demolish childhood memories.

Description

Carey (2008) narrated in the latest edition of The New York Times about the case of loss of memory that develops the symptoms of Korsakoff's syndrome. The patient was unable to remember almost anything but his name. He had also lost the ability to formulate new memories and every proceeding event resonates for the time. This embarks the anterograde and retrograde amnesia as symptoms of Korsakoff's syndrome. Neuroscience considered this as the fragile nature of human identity (Carey, 2008, para 4 & 5).

Dr. Milner presented a tribute to Henry Molaison after meeting her. She was inspired from her discourse investigation and detective work on frontal lobes and in-depth reflection on the field of the brain and memory.

She addressed questions about amnesia related to the bilateral medial-temporal lobectomy. She shared stories of two patients suffered from impairments of significant memory after a neurosurgery (Christian, 2003). She discovered about structural damage to the cortex and hippocampus that disabled patients to retrieve memory about their live. She acknowledged the work with the patient H.M who operated the hippocampus on bilateral sides of brain for ...