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Cognitive neuroscience of human memory
1Department of Psychology, Stanford University, California 94305, USA. gabrieli@psych.stanford.edu
Annual Review of Psychology
|March 13, 1998
Summary
This review details human long-term memory systems, integrating neuropsychological and neuroimaging data to map brain regions involved in declarative and procedural memory. It explores memory changes with aging and neurological diseases.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neurology
Background:
- Long-term memory involves distinct neural networks supporting specific mnemonic processes.
- Understanding these systems is crucial for diagnosing and treating memory impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize current knowledge on human long-term memory systems.
- To delineate the neural underpinnings of declarative and procedural memory.
Main Methods:
- Integration of evidence from neuropsychological studies (brain lesions).
- Analysis of functional neuroimaging data (PET, fMRI).
Main Results:
- Specific roles identified for hippocampal, parahippocampal, amygdala, basal ganglia, and neocortical regions in declarative memory.
- Brain regions mediating sensorimotor, perceptual, and cognitive skills, repetition priming, and conditioning are reviewed.
Conclusions:
- The functional neural architecture of normal memory is elucidated.
- Age-related memory decline and memory deficits in amnesia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases are discussed.