The Kluver-Bucy syndrome

Abstract

Evolution of psychological disorders following head injury including memory and other cognitive disorders are common. The best known are psychiatric disturbances of various kinds after lesions of the frontal lobes. Cognitive, behavioural and emotional disorders are not usually seen in patients with bilateral temporal lesions. In our Department of Neurotraumatology we have observed 4 patients with posttraumatic lesions localized bitemporally. They developed Kluver-Bucy syndrome-rarity in human pathology-combined with three or more of the following symptoms and signs: increased oral activity, hypersexuality, hypermetamorphosis, memory disorders, placidity, loss of people recognition, bulimia. Several symptoms responded dramatically to carbamazepine. We conclude that it may be a useful agent in the treatment of this unusual syndrome.

Biological correlates of psychopathy: a brief review

“…Bilateral temporal lesions lead to cognitive, emotional as well as behavioural deficits (Gościński et al, 1997). Clinical features of the frontotemporal dementia include loss of social awareness, disinhibition (e.g.…”

“…violent behaviour, promiscuousness), emotional indifference and lack of empathy (Lough et al, 2006). Similarly, Kluver-Bucy syndrome, a rare human pathology, affects the sufferer's emotional functioning in that they become emotionally unconcerned and empathically uninvolved with others (Gościński et al, 1997). Gregory and colleagues (2012), therefore, reveal some interesting neurological overlaps between psychopathy and other brain disorders.…”

Klüver-Bucy syndrome in late delayed postirradiation encephalopathy

“…The extensive bilateral temporal lesions prompted us to manage the patient conservatively. Carbamazepine may cause rapid regression of the behavioural symptoms associated with Klüver-Bucy syndrome as Goscinski et al reported [8]. However, this drug, neuroleptics and benzodiacepines were not useful in our patient.…”

“…Klüver-Bucy syndrome has been rarely reported in human following bilateral temporal lesions secondary to a variety of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular disease, cerebral trauma, temporal lobectomy, herpes encephalitis, postanoxic leucoencephalopathy, temporal lobe epilepsy, Pick's disease, arachnoid cysts, heat stroke, shigellosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and ceroid lipofuscinosis [1,2,[6][7][8][9][11][12][13][14][15]. Klüver-Bucy syndrome has been exceptionally described associated with postirradiation encephalopathy [4,16].…”

Hypersexual sensations and behavior in a multiple sclerosis exacerbation: a case report

“…Hypersexual sensations and behavior are documented in a variety of neurologic disorders, including head trauma, 1 Kluver Bucy syndrome, 2 following neurosurgical procedures, 3,4 Parkinson's disease, 5 and stroke. 6 However, hypersexuality associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) is rare.…”