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Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: August 30, 2011
Updating and inhibition processes in working memory: a comparison between Alzheimer's type dementia and frontal lobe
Francesca Borgo1, Lorena Giovannini, Raffaella Moro
1Psychology Faculty, University of Trieste, Italy.
Abstract:
A large debate has recently focused on the componential nature of the working-memory system (), as evidenced by functional-imaging studies and by using more sophisticated experimental paradigms. The present work aims at further disentangling the role and effects of central executive (CE) and of phonological loop (PL). It is suggested that maintaining active verbal information mostly relates to an intact PL, while the inhibition of interfering information preponderantly involves the CE. To distinguish these effects, two groups of brain damaged patients were administered with an updating task. Frontal lobe patients showed major difficulties in inhibiting interfering information, an ability requiring an involvement of the CE component. In contrast, Alzheimer's dementia patients evidenced a relative impairment in maintaining relevant information, requiring the intervention of the PL.
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