Constellation of psychic symptoms in one patient with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis and the artistic representation of the patient’s pre and post surgical experiences
Reinaldo Garcia Arismendi, John Kerrison, Gustavo A Garcia-Arismendi
Acta neurológica colombiana October 14, 2025 DOI: 10.22379/anc.v41i4.1923 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A professional painter with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis |
| Key findings | The authors report a professional painter with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis who experienced a constellation of psychic symptoms before surgery (visual hallucinations, precognitions, out-of-body experiences, right unilateral mydriasis, severe headaches) and developed a visual field defect, retrograde trans-synaptic degeneration, anomic aphasia, foreign language syndrome, mirror writing, and Geschwind syndrome after surgery. They argue that such varied symptoms often go unrecognized by physicians and may be expressed through artistic production. |
Abstract
Introduction: We describe a constellation of psychic symptoms in a professional painter with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis, rarely described together in one patient, as well as the patient’s artistic representation of these symptoms. Case presentation: Prior to surgery, our patient experienced visual hallucinations, precognitions, out-of-body experiences, right unilateral mydriasis, and severe headaches, which led to a diagnosis of drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. After surgery, she developed a visual field defect, retrograde trans-synaptic degeneration, anomic aphasia, foreign language syndrome, mirror writing, and Geschwind syndrome.
Discussion: Each symptom is presented in comparison with previous reports of patients with similar symptoms related to temporal lobe pathology.
Conclusion: Patients with temporal lobe disease may suffer from numerous and varied symptoms that often go unrecognized by physicians due to their unusual presentation. Young epileptic patients with temporal lobe disease may also express these symptoms through their artistic production.