SHORT TERM MEMORY DEFICITS IN FOCAL LESION PATIENTS

本研究计划的目的是通过比较两组神经心理学患者来研究短期记忆的神经生物学基础。有前部（前额叶皮质）损伤的患者和有后部（颞顶叶皮质）损伤的传导失语症患者都表现出短期记忆缺陷。据推测，这两组人的缺陷是由短期记忆的不同组成部分的损伤引起的。为了验证这一假设，两组患者和老年对照组将被执行一系列需要短期记忆的任务。这些任务会在几个维度上有所不同，比如任务的领域（口头的还是空间的）。这项研究的发现将阐明对正常短期记忆过程的理解，并确定调节这些过程的大脑区域。此外，本研究对类似脑损伤和认知缺陷患者的治疗（如认知康复）具有启示意义。

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.