Question Title: Memory loss due to viral encephalitis in a 10 yr old boy.

Forum: Neurology Forum
Topic: Neurology - General

Posted by CCF Neuro MD *!* on November 11, 1997 at 15:29:44:

In Reply to: Memory loss due to viral encephalitis in a 10 yr old boy. posted by Joe Church on November 01, 1997 at 15:55:06:

: I have a family member who, due to encephalitis, has suffered severe short term memory loss. He is ten years old, often doesn't recognize his parents, and requires queing to eat and to stop eating so as not to gorge himself. I have heard of a new drug (Aricept) for the treatment of memory loss in Alzheimer's patients and wonder if there might be benefit in this case. Also any other suggestions would be appreciated.

The memory loss in encephalitis is caused by involvement of the temporal lobes which are preferentially
affected by encephalitis, in particular the part of the temporal lobes known as the amygdalo- hippocampal complex. Tthe damage here is due to inflammation during the acute infection with subsequent damage to nerve cells.
This is a very different process from the gradual destruction of nerve cells in other parts of the brain (in particular the parietal lobes at the back of the brain ) which takes place in Alzheimer’s disease, due to totally different and poorly understood underlying underlying problems. In other words while the end result may seen superficially similar, the underlying disease is totally different.
There is no experience of the use of Aricept in memory loss due to encephalitis, and on a theotretical basis it would not be expected to work.
In the case you refer there would be a role for rehabilitation, in particular cognitive rehabilitation, which focuses on strategies to optimise existing abilities but specific drug therapy is not available.

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