At 19:14 12/09/96 GMT, you wrote:
>I am searching for someone who has developed significant expertise in the
>field of viral infection induced brain injuries.
>>My interest in such a person is driven by a family tragedy. My father, an
>otherwise healthy and vibrant man, was suddenly struck with a herpes type
>viral insephalitis (spelling?) and nearly died from the illness. This
>occurred a little less than two years ago.
>>He was a physically fit, intellegent and educated professional engineer
>working in the Petroleum Industry in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
>>His recovery has been slow and difficult. The lasting effects of the
>illness are the nearly complete destruction of the temporal lobes and a
>severe lack of short term memory. The result is a nearly complete
>inability to absorb new information, even though his long term memories are
>generally intact.
This is very sad.
what do you mean by "destruction" of the temporal lobes?
Destruction of their function only? without alteration of their structure.
or a mass and chronic inflammation triggered by the body's immune response
to the herpes type virus.
or the death of the neurons/glia/both.
If it is due to inflammation, then this may subside in time (yes, I
acknowledge that the event was nearly two years ago) then again there may be
no improvement. I don't know of a newsgroup that deals with this type of
"injury' however, you may wish to contact your version of the A.M.A. and get
some points to virologists/?cognitive therapists.
For mine, your father is lucky to be alive, this type of viral infection is
potentially lethal......was your father under a lot of tension/stress as I
think this encephalitis usualy strikes the old and the immune-compromised..
My wishes for his recovery.
Richard
