Epilepsy increases vulnerability of long-term face recognition to proactive interference.
Proactive interference (PI) decreases short- and long-term memory in healthy subjects. Neurological patients exhibit a heightened PI effect on short-term memory. It is, however, not known if PI affects long-term memory in neurological patients. We analyzed whether epilepsy heightens the negative effect of PI on long-term face memory. PI was induced by a list of 20 faces learned 24 hours prior to a target list of 20 faces. We tested immediate and 24-hour recognition for both lists. Twelve healthy controls and 42 patients with generalized epilepsy or temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) were studied. PI led to a decrease in 24-hour recognition in patients with generalized epilepsy and TLE but not in controls. Thus, PI may cause long-term memory disturbances in epilepsy patients. PI was also associated with decreased short-term memory, but only in right TLE. This confirms the dominant role of the right temporal lobe in short-term face memory.
Bengner
T
T
Epilepsy Center Hamburg, Protestant Hospital Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany. t.bengner@alsterdorf.de
Malina
T
T
Lindenau
M
M
Voges
B
B
Goebell
E
E
Stodieck
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000523:psychology*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000523:psychology*; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011334:Proactive Inhibition; D021641:Recognition, Psychology