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Long-term consequences of subarachnoid hemorrhage: examining working memory
Signy Sheldon1, R Loch Macdonald, Michael Cusimano
1Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, Canada. signy.sheldon@utoronto.ca
Journal of the Neurological Sciences
|July 23, 2013
Summary
Survivors of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) show working memory deficits, particularly in manipulating information. This impairment suggests executive processing demands, not focal pathology, may underlie cognitive changes after SAH.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neurology
Background:
- Working memory impairments are common in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) survivors.
- These impairments significantly impact daily cognitive functioning.
- Specific examination of working memory deficits post-SAH is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate specific working memory deficits in patients following SAH.
- To differentiate between maintenance and manipulation components of working memory in SAH survivors.
- To explore the relationship between SAH-related cognitive deficits and executive processing demands.
Main Methods:
- Administered experimental working memory tests: word-span (information maintenance) and alpha-span (information maintenance and manipulation).
- Compared performance of SAH patients and healthy control participants.
- Assessed standard neuropsychological measures and considered aneurysm location.
Main Results:
- SAH patients performed similarly to controls on standard neuropsychological tests and the word-span test.
- SAH patients demonstrated significant impairment on the alpha-span test, indicating a deficit in information manipulation.
- The observed working memory deficit was not influenced by aneurysm location.
Conclusions:
- SAH survivors exhibit specific deficits in the manipulation component of working memory, linked to executive processing demands.
- Cognitive impairments post-SAH may stem from diffuse rather than focal pathology.
- Further research with larger sample sizes is recommended to confirm these findings.
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