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Long lasting indirect memory performance for abstract shapes in amnesics and matched controls
P A Gooding1, A R Mayes, P Meudell
1Department of Clinical Neurology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, U.K.
Neuropsychologia
|September 1, 1994
Summary
Organic amnesics and controls showed similar improvements in indirectly remembering shapes. Direct memory recognition was impaired in amnesics, with performance declining over time for both groups.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Memory is crucial for daily functioning.
- Organic amnesia impacts memory recall and recognition.
- Indirect memory measures assess memory without explicit retrieval cues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate indirect memory performance in organic amnesics.
- To compare indirect memory in amnesics versus controls.
- To examine the effect of delay on indirect and direct memory.
Main Methods:
- Used shape copying as an indirect memory task.
- Included 12 organic amnesics and matched controls.
- Tested memory at 10-minute and 24-hour delays.
Main Results:
- Both groups showed faster copying of previously seen shapes (indirect memory effect).
- The magnitude of the indirect memory effect was similar between amnesics and controls.
- Indirect memory effect did not decline over time.
- Direct memory (two-choice recognition) was impaired in amnesics.
- Recognition performance showed a potential decline over time in both groups.
Conclusions:
- Indirect memory is preserved in organic amnesia.
- Direct memory is impaired in organic amnesia.
- Delay impacts direct memory more than indirect memory.