Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 18, 2026
13:00
Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments
Published on: January 23, 2017
10.5K
Memory in time: electrophysiological comparison between reality filtering and temporal order judgment.
M C Liverani1, A L Manuel1, A Bouzerda-Wahlen1
1Laboratory of Cognitive Neurorehabilitation, Medical School, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Neuroscience
|January 18, 2015
Summary
Orbitofrontal reality filtering (ORF) helps sense if memories match present reality, unlike temporal order judgment (TOJ). While both use similar early brain activity, they diverge quickly, with TOJ being slower and less accurate.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Orbitofrontal reality filtering (ORF) is a memory control mechanism crucial for distinguishing real memories from thoughts.
- Failure of ORF leads to reality confusion, confabulations, and disorientation.
- The distinction between ORF and temporal order judgment (TOJ) remains unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare Orbitofrontal reality filtering (ORF) and temporal order judgment (TOJ) using evoked potential analysis.
- To investigate the neural mechanisms and behavioral differences between ORF and TOJ.
Main Methods:
- Evoked potential analysis was used to compare ORF and TOJ.
- Seventeen healthy subjects performed a combined continuous recognition task.
- Behavioral performance (speed, accuracy) and electrophysiological data were recorded.
Main Results:
- Subjects were significantly slower and less accurate in TOJ compared to ORF.
- Both ORF and TOJ showed similar early electrocortical potentials (240-280ms).
- Distinct differences in amplitude and electrical source emerged between 310-360ms and 530-560ms, indicating neural dissociation.
Conclusions:
- TOJ is an effortful and slow cognitive process, contrasting with the rapid reality-sensing function of ORF.
- Early electrocortical processes are shared, but ORF and TOJ engage different brain areas later on.
- Dysfunction of ORF has clear clinical correlates (reality confusion), unlike TOJ as tested.
