Autonomic and behavioral evidence of "implicit" memory in amnesia.
A profoundly amnesic patient with a left retrosplenial-fornix lesion was tested on a recognition task that evaluated both verbal and electrodermal aspects of new learning. In addition, "implicit memory" tasks (mirror reading and perceptual identification) were given. The patient displayed strong evidence of learning on all tasks although the results of this learning were not represented in explicit recall or recognition. These findings suggest that autonomic as well as behavioral evidence can index spared memory functions in amnesia. The specific meaning of electrodermal recognition and its possible place in the distinction between implicit and explicit memory is discussed.
Verfaellie
M
M
Center for Neuropsychological Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610-0165.
Bauer
R M
RM
Bowers
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000647:Amnesia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology