title: Hippocampal involvement in working memory encoding of changing locations: an fMRI study.
abstract: Whereas the role of the hippocampus for spatial learning and long-term memory is largely undisputed, there is less evidence for a participation of hippocampal structures in spatial working memory operations. In an fMRI study (functional magnetic resonance imaging), we therefore examined the role of the hippocampus during spatial working memory performance. Nineteen healthy volunteers performed a modified version of the Corsi Block-Tapping test (CBT) during fMRI. The CBT is a neuropsychological instrument that is widely used in clinical settings. It requires the storage and subsequent reproduction of spatial target sequences. Brain activity during CBT performance has rarely been examined in the past, at least not the hemodynamic correlates. In a baseline condition, participants processed a number of subsequently presented targets as in the CBT condition. The only difference was that targets did not change their location. As compared to baseline activity, the right hippocampus showed more activation during the CBT condition. In addition, whole-brain analysis showed working memory related frontal and parietal brain activation. The results indicate that hippocampal structures contribute to serial working memory encoding of spatial locations in the human brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Bethel, Ev Hospital Bielefeld EvKB, Remterweg 69-71, D-33617 Bielefeld, Germany. max.toepper@evkb.de
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toepper
authors.forename: Hans J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Markowitsch
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gebhardt
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beblo
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gallhofer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Driessen
authors.forename: Gebhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sammer
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*