Limitations of behavioral treatment: a report of a case with herpes simplex encephalitis

Introduction. Early treatment with acyclovir limited the area affected by the herpes simplex virus (HSV) at hippocampus and parahippocampus areas. Cause mainly memory disorders but can also cause other emotional and behavioral disorders. We report a case of a patient with viral encephalitis by herpes simplex virus (HSV) which he underwent a neuropsychological evaluation one year after the onset of infection. Case report. Male of 63 years old, diagnosed with encephalopathy by HSV. The cerebral MRI shows hyperdensity in the medial temporal lobe, particularly at hippocampus and parahippocampus areas. He continued treatment! with acyclovir and steroids. One year later, the neuropsychological assessment shows episodic memory impairment, normal standard performance in other cognitive tests, impassivity and the type behavioral aggressive. Discussion. Early treatment confined the action of the virus into memory but not exclusively. The over important sequelaes effects are behavioral which depend on the functional integrity of the affected brain areas. This directly implies to the differential diagnosis and to the psychological treatments.