Verbal memory deterioration after unilateral infarct of the internal capsule in an adolescent.

After an infarction in the territory of the anterior perforating arteries, a 15-year-old, previously healthy, left-handed patient developed considerable verbal long term memory disturbances which could be followed up and tested for more than nine months. An extensive memory test battery was used to determine spared and impaired functions. The patient had remote memory disturbances with respect to personal events for the last 5 years and problems in all verbal task tested which required remembering items over time periods exceeding an hour.