Lateralization of memory for music: evidence from the intracarotid sodium amobarbital procedure

The present study was conducted to determine whether material-specific memory for unfamiliar tonal patterns could be demonstrated for the right temporal lobe during the intracarotid sodium amytal procedure (IAP). Thirty-one patients with intractable complex partial seizures associated with either left temporal lobe epilepsy (LTLE) or right temporal lobe epilepsy (RTLE) underwent assessment of memory for tonal patterns during a baseline phase and right and left cerebral hemisphere anaesthesia during the IAP. Patients were presented unfamiliar tonal patterns which were later selected from a set of distracter patterns. Findings indicated that there was no difference between the LTLE and RTLE patients during injection of the right cerebral hemisphere suggesting no specific involvement of left mesial temporal structures. However, a significant effect was noted during left injection with the LTLE group performing significantly better than the RTLE group. This latter finding supports a specific role of right mesial temporal lobe structures in mediating memory for music.