title: Differences in visual vs. verbal memory impairments as a result of focal temporal lobe damage in patients with traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to determine whether the type of lesion in a sample of moderate and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) was related to material-specific memory impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine patients with TBI were classified into three groups according to whether the site of the lesion was right temporal, left temporal or diffuse. Six-months post-injury, visual (Warrington's Facial Recognition Memory Test and Rey's Complex Figure Test) and verbal (Rey's Auditory Verbal Learning Test) memories were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visual memory deficits assessed by facial memory were associated with right temporal lobe lesion, whereas verbal memory performance assessed with a list of words was related to left temporal lobe lesion. The group with diffuse injury showed both verbal and visual memory impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest a material-specific memory impairment in moderate and severe TBI after focal temporal lesions and a non-specific memory impairment after diffuse damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, and Department of Neurosurgery, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Neurotraumatology Research Unit, Spain.
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ariza
authors.forename: Roser
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pueyo
authors.forename: Carme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Junqué
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mataró
authors.forename: María Antonia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Poca
authors.forename: Maria Pau
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mena
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sahuquillo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D005145:Face; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000293:injuries*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014706:Verbal Learning