Evaluation of temporal processing in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy by utilizing the duration pattern sequence test

The effects of brain lesions on the ability to sequence auditory stimuli have been documented in numerous studies. Some investigations have demonstrated that for almost all people، left hemisphere is specialized in temporal processing، especially the temporal ordering. The Aim of this study was to evaluate the temporal processing abilities of patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy by means of “duration pattern sequence«test. In this cross-sectional study، 25 temporal lobe epileptic subjects (11 patients with right temporal lobe epilepsy and 14 ones with left temporal lobe epilepsy) and 18 normal controls with the age range of 15 to 50 years were assessed by duration pattern test. All subjects were evaluated in rehabilitation faculty of Tehran University of Medical Science. The mean scores of correct answers were statistically compared between the three groups using one-way ANOVA. Tukey’s HSD test revealed significant differences between controls and patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy and also between patients with right and those with left temporal lobe epilepsy (P < 0. 05). Difference subjects between right temporal lobe epilepsy and normal groups، however، were not significant (P > 0. 05). Difficulties in processing of temporal ordering among the patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy can be considered as a proof for the specialization of the left temporal lobe in the processing of temporal ordering.