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| Research article summary (published 30 Dec 2002): |
A combined neuropsychological and neuroimaging study of topographical and non-verbal memory in semantic dementia.
Full Abstract
A combined neuropsychological and neuroimaging investigation was carried out on a patient (O.I.) with semantic dementia who had asymmetrical temporal lobe atrophy, greater on the left. His performance on tests of verbal memory was gravely impaired. Similarly, his visual memory as indexed by recognition of unfamiliar faces was impaired. By contrast, his recognition memory for topographical memoranda (e.g. buildings, landscapes) and ability to find his way around was preserved. In order to identify the neural substrates supporting the preserved recognition of static topographical memoranda, O.I. was scanned using positron emission tomography (PET) during the encoding and recognition of building and landscape stimuli. In common with control subjects, during encoding O.I. activated parahippocampal cortex bilaterally, along with bilateral temporo-parietal, retrosplenial and left frontal cortices. During recognition, both patient and controls activated right parahippocampal, right superior parietal and right frontal cortices. Notably, control subjects, but not O.I., also activated at encoding the precuneus and at recognition the retrosplenial cortex. This allows the conclusion that these two areas while involved may not be necessary for topographical memory. Interestingly, the patient also activated regions that were not evident in control subjects both during encoding and recognition. These additional areas of activation may be necessary in a compensatory role. Overall, these data represent the first reported assessment of the functional integrity of degenerating brain tissue and its contribution to preserved topographical memory. The combination of the neuropsychological and neuroimaging approaches may provide insights into the functional-anatomy of memory while having clinical utility for the assessment of residual brain tissue.
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Author information
Author/s: Cipolotti, L (L); Maguire, E A (EA);
Affiliation: Department of Neuropsychology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, WC1N 3BG, London, UK. l.cipolotti(-atsign-)ion.ucl.ac.uk
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Case Reports; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal: Neuropsychologia (Neuropsychologia), published in England. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2003-; vol 41 (issue 9) : pp 1148-59
Dates: Created 2003/05/19; Completed 2003/08/21; Revised 2006/11/15;
PMID: 12753955, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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