Brief Answer:
Not appreciably

Detailed Answer:
Good morning. I am an adult neurologist and see many very healthy individuals both young and old who have encephalomalacia in various parts of the brain and they do very well after having recovered from the initial insult that caused the problem in the first place.

Although you haven't provided any detail as to HOW YOU acquired ENCEPHALOMALACIA which refers to scarring in the right temporal lobe, my guess is that if you're now 68 and clearly writing this question (twice since I saw you submitted it as well in June) that the radiographic finding (possibly either a CT or MRI scan) is not going to be of much significance to you going forward.

You got that area of scarring either due to a an infection (bacterial or viral long ago), trauma (long ago), stroke (long ago), and I suppose if this is your first imaging study in your life and you were to tell me that you don't remember having ANY OF THOSE sorts of things happen to you....I would say that it may have even happened while you were developing in the womb and that you've lived your entire life with it...but that would be my last guess.

The key feature making the call of ENCEPHALOMALACIA is that radiologist is telling us that whatever happened occurred LONG AGO and the brain has taken care of the problem. Other areas of the brain have likely picked up the "slack" in terms of the functions your right temporal region was performing and so again, what happens down the road, assuming you're living a healthy life and controlling your risk factors for cerebrovascular disease, will not significantly depend on this finding as it relates to your overall health.

I hope this answer satisfactorily addresses your question. If so, may I ask your favor of a HIGH STAR RATING with some written feedback?

Also, if there are no other questions or comments, may I ask you CLOSE THE QUERY on your end so this question can be transacted and archived for further reference by colleagues as necessary?

Please direct more comments or inquiries to me in the future at:

bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi

I would be honored to answer you quickly and comprehensively.

Please keep me informed as to the outcome of your situation.

The query has required a total of 13 minutes of physician specific time to read, research, and compile a return envoy to the patient.

---