Final answer:
Henry Molaison, or H.M., underwent a bilateral lobectomy in 1953 to treat his epilepsy, resulting in anterograde amnesia and some retrograde amnesia, which impaired his ability to form new episodic memories while keeping his procedural and short-term memory intact. His case has been instrumental in studying the memory consolidation role of the hippocampus and medial temporal lobes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Impact of Henry Molaison's Surgery on Understanding Memory
In 1953, Henry Molaison, known as patient H.M., underwent a bilateral lobectomy of the medial temporal lobes to reduce the severity of his epilepsy.
The surgery involved the removal of his hippocampus and other structures, which did indeed alleviate the symptoms of his epilepsy.
However, it resulted in H.M. developing anterograde amnesia, which prevented him from forming new episodic memories, such as specific events or personal experiences.
Furthermore, H.M. also experienced some retrograde amnesia, causing a partial loss of memories from before the surgery. Despite this, H.M.'s ability to retain short-term memories and procedural memories, such as knowing how to ride a bike, remained intact.
The case of Henry Molaison became a pivotal one in medical and psychological research, especially in understanding the role of the hippocampus and medial temporal lobes in memory consolidation and formation.