SHORT TERM MEMORY DEFICITS IN FOCAL LESION PATIENTS

本研究的目的是通过比较两组神经心理学患者来研究短时记忆的神经生物学基础。 前部（前额叶皮层）损伤和后部（颞顶叶皮层）损伤的传导性失语症患者都表现出短期记忆障碍。 据推测，这两组人的缺陷是由于短期记忆的不同组成部分受损造成的。 为了评估这一假设，两个患者组和老年对照组将被给予一系列需要短期记忆的任务。 这些任务将在沿着几个维度上变化，例如任务的领域（语言与空间）。 这项研究的结果将阐明对正常短期记忆过程的理解，并确定介导这些过程的大脑区域。 此外，这项研究对治疗也有影响（例如，认知康复）的患者具有类似的脑损伤和认知缺陷。

The aim of this research proposal is to study the neurobiological substrates of short-term memory by comparing two groups of neuropsychological patients. Both patients with anterior (prefrontal cortex) lesions and conduction aphasics with posterior (temporo-parietal cortex) lesions exhibit short-term memory deficits. It is hypothesized that the two groups' deficits arise from impairment in different components of short-term memory. To assess this hypothesis, the two patient groups and elderly controls will be administered a series of tasks requiring short-term memory. These tasks will vary along several dimensions, such as the domain of the task (verbal versus spatial). Findings from this research will illuminate understanding of normal short-term memory processes as well as identify the brain regions mediating those processes. In addition, this research has implications for treatment (e.g., cognitive rehabilitation) of patients with similar brain injuries and cognitive deficits.