Clinical Vignette:

M.F. was a 68-year-old lifelong housewife and mother of four. She had no psychiatric of neurological problems until approximately 3 years prior to hospitalization. At that time she noted a progressive difficulty with remembering things. Upon presentation for hospitalization she demonstrated a profound memory loss particularly for recent events. She was unable to care for herself and became agitated at times. A computed tomographic (CT) examination showed a large, left-sided, sphenoidal wing meningioma. Amnestic periods resulted from decreased blood flow to the medial temporal regions during a transient ischemic attack. Epileptic activity in this area may also result in similar symptomatology (Pritchard et al, 1985).