COGNITIVE ABILITIES FOLLOWING CLOSED-HEAD BRAIN INJURY

拟议的项目将架起两个研究领域的桥梁，一个涉及 闭合性脑损伤的康复和长期影响，以及 其他关于视觉意象在记忆和认知中的作用 正常和脑损伤患者。PI在过去几年的研究 多年来，人们对视觉意象在大脑中的作用有了新的认识 正常个体的学习、记忆和其他认知过程(见 Marschark&Hunt出版社；Marschark，Richman，Yuille，&Hunt出版社，1987； Marschark&Surian，正在印刷中)。这一理论框架导致了 关于经常观察到的功能轨迹的具体预测 精神分裂症患者的非语言记忆和空间加工缺陷 闭合性脑损伤(Marschark，1988)。试图将它们捆绑在一起 闭头脑的表象研究及其长期意义 为了确定残留物的程度，进行了一项初步研究 大学新生的表象和言语功能障碍 曾在之前的某个时间遭受过闭合性脑损伤 大学入学。结果表明，这些学生之间存在明显的差异 另一组是对照组，在SAT成绩和性别方面匹配，但在表象测试中 不是在口头测试上。拟议的研究将把这项研究扩展到 更广泛的诊断测试和更大的、更好的- 对照抽样(从大约6400名大学新生中抽取 在4年内)。广泛的测试电池将敲击口头和 在线的非语言能力以及对语言和非语言的记忆 信息。结果将结合信息进行分析 关于头部受伤和学习成绩的问题。三个相关 研究将检查认知功能的特定方面 传统的实验范式。调查结果将澄清和扩展我们的 关于闭合性脑损伤的长期影响的知识； 为患有这种疾病的个人提供康复的替代战略 损伤；观察到的记忆、视觉缺陷之间的关系 闭合型个体的空间功能和表象能力 脑损伤；以及视觉意象在人类记忆中的功能作用 和认知力。

The proposed project will bridge two areas of research, one concerning the recovery from and long-term effects of closed-head brain injury, and the other concerning the role of visual imagery in memory and cognition by normal and brain-injured patients. Research by the PI over the past few years has lead to a revised understanding of the role of visual imagery in learning, memory, and other cognitive processes in normal individuals (see Marschark & Hunt, in press; Marschark, Richman, Yuille, & Hunt, 1987; Marschark & Surian, in press). This theoretical framework has lead to specific predictions about the functional locus of the frequently observed deficits in nonverbal memory and spatial processing by individuals with close-head brain injuries (Marschark, 1988). In an attempt to tie together research on imagery and the long-term implications of closed-head brain injuries, a pilot study was conducted to determine the extent of residual impairments in the imaginal and verbal functioning of university freshman who had suffered close-head brain injuries at some point previous to college entry. Results indicated clear differences between those students and a control group, matched for SAT scores and sex, on imagery tests but not on verbal tests. The proposed research will extend this research over a broader range of diagnostic tests and over a much larger, well- controlled sampled (from a pool of approximately 6400 college freshman over a 4-year period). An extensive test battery will tap verbal and nonverbal abilities "on-line" as well as memory for verbal and nonverbal information. Results will be analyzed in conjunction with information concerning the head injuries and academic performance. Three related studies will examine specific aspects of cognitive functioning in traditional experimental paradigms. Findings will clarify and extend our knowledge concerning the long-term effects of closed-head brain injuries; alternative strategies for the rehabilitation of individuals with such injuries; the relationship between observed deficits in memory, visuo- spatial functioning and imagery ability in individuals with closed-head brain injuries; and the functional role of visual imagery in human memory and cognition.