The parietal cortex and episodic memory: an attentional account
Roberto Cabeza1, Elisa Ciaramelli, Ingrid R Olson
1Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, B203 LSRC building, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA. cabeza@duke.edu
Nature Reviews. Neuroscience
|July 22, 2008
Summary
The parietal cortex
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Parietal cortex involvement in episodic memory is debated.
- Lesions often show minimal memory deficits, yet imaging reveals activations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To resolve the parietal cortex's role in episodic memory.
- To differentiate contributions of dorsal and ventral parietal regions.
- To explore the impact of attention (top-down and bottom-up) on memory.
Main Methods:
- Review of lesion studies and functional neuroimaging data.
- Analysis of evidence distinguishing dorsal and ventral parietal functions.
- Examination of attentional influences on memory recall.
Main Results:
- Dorsal and ventral parietal regions may have distinct memory roles.
- Attention, both top-down and bottom-up, modulates memory performance.
- Reconciling lesion and imaging data is key to understanding memory.
Conclusions:
- The parietal cortex's contribution to episodic memory is nuanced.
- Differentiating parietal subregions and attentional mechanisms clarifies its function.
- Further research should integrate lesion and imaging findings with attentional studies.
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