Hemispheric Asymmetries in Verbal Memory

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by asymmetric motor symptom onset attributed to greater degeneration of dopamine neurons contralateral to the affected side. However, whether motor asymmetries predict cognitive profiles in PD, and to what extent dopamine influences cognition remains controversial. This study evaluated cognitive variability in PD by measuring differential response to dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) based on hemispheric asymmetries. The influence of DRT on cognition was evaluated in mild PD patients (n=36) with left or right motor onset symptoms. All subjects were evaluated on neuropsychological measures on and off DRT and compared to controls (n=42). PD patients were impaired in executive, memory and motor domains irrespective of side of motor onset, although patients with left hemisphere deficit displayed greater cognitive impairment. Patients with right hemisphere deficit responded to DRT with significant improvement in sensorimotor deficits, and with corresponding improvement in attention and verbal memory functions. Conversely, patients with greater left hemisphere dopamine deficiency did not improve in attentional functions and declined in verbal memory recall following DRT. These findings support the presence of extensive mild cognitive deficits in early PD not fully explained by dopamine depletion alone. The paradoxical effects of levodopa on verbal memory were predicted by extent of fine motor impairment and sensorimotor response to levodopa, which reflects extent of dopamine depletion. The findings are discussed with respect to factors influencing variable cognitive profiles in early PD, including hemispheric asymmetries and differential response to levodopa based on dopamine levels predicting amelioration or overdosing. (JINS, 2015, 21, 259–270)

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Neuropsychological Deficits in the Prodromal Phase and Course of an Early-Onset Schizophrenia

Zeitschrift für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie ◽

10.1024/1422-4917/a000286 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 167-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Vanessa Puetz ◽

Thomas Günther ◽

Berrak Kahraman-Lanzerath ◽

Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann ◽

Kerstin Konrad

Keyword(s):

Verbal Memory ◽

Early Onset ◽

Neuropsychological Functioning ◽

Neuropsychological Testing ◽

Clinical Situation ◽

Adolescent Male ◽

Antipsychotic Treatment ◽

Early Onset Schizophrenia ◽

Prodromal Phase ◽

Illness Onset

Objectives: Although clear advances have been achieved in the study of early-onset schizophrenia (EOS), little is known to date about premorbid and prodromal neuropsychological functioning in EOS. Method: Here, we report on a case of an adolescent male with EOS who underwent neuropsychological testing before and after illness onset. Results: Marked cognitive deficits in the domains of attention, set-shifting, and verbal memory were present both pre-onset and during the course of schizophrenia, though only deficits in verbal memory persisted after illness-onset and antipsychotic treatment. Conclusion: The findings of this case study suggest that impairments in the verbal memory domain are particularly prominent symptoms of cognitive impairment in prodromal EOS and persist in the course of the disorder, which further demonstrates the difficult clinical situation of adequate schooling opportunities for adolescent patients with EOS.

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Neural Encoding Correlates of High and Low Verbal Memory Performance

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803.20.2.68 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 68-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Sibylle Heinze ◽

Gudrun Sartory ◽

Bernhard W. Müller ◽

Armin de Greiff ◽

Michael Forsting ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Verbal Memory ◽

Parietal Lobe ◽

Functional Neuroimaging ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Extrastriate Cortex ◽

Parahippocampal Gyrus ◽

Premotor Area ◽

High Performers ◽

Rehearsal Strategy ◽

Common Memory

Neuroimaging studies have indicated involvement of left prefrontal cortex and temporal areas in verbal memory processes. The current study used event-related functional neuroimaging to compare encoding of subsequently recalled and not recalled words in high and low memory performers. Fifteen healthy volunteers were given lists of words to learn with immediate recall and to read as a control condition. High performers reported to have visualized the words whereas low performers used a rehearsal strategy. Compared to reading, unsuccessful encoding was associated with thalamic and left premotor area (BA 6) activity. Comparing successful with unsuccessful learning yielded widespread activity of the left prefrontal and posterior temporal gyrus as well as the left superior parietal lobe in the whole group. Low performers showed activation of the left premotor area throughout learning and additionally of the left middle temporal and parahippocampal gyrus during successful encoding. High performers showed increased activation in the extrastriate cortex throughout learning and additionally in the left parietal post- and paracentral areas as well as in the right precuneus during successful encoding. The results suggest that high verbal memory performance is the result of spatiovisual activation concomitant to imagery and low performance of hippocampal and motor activation, the latter being associated with rehearsal, with a common memory circuit subserving both groups.

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Learning and Consolidation of Verbal Declarative Memory in Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Zeitschrift für Psychologie / Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1027/0044-3409/a000020 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 218 (2) ◽

pp. 135-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Slawomira J. Diener ◽

Herta Flor ◽

Michèle Wessa

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Declarative Memory ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Verbal Learning ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Learning Performance ◽

Ptsd Symptoms

Impairments in declarative memory have been reported in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Fragmentation of explicit trauma-related memory has been assumed to impede the formation of a coherent memorization of the traumatic event and the integration into autobiographic memory. Together with a strong non-declarative memory that connects trauma reminders with a fear response the impairment in declarative memory is thought to be involved in the maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Fourteen PTSD patients, 14 traumatized subjects without PTSD, and 13 non-traumatized healthy controls (HC) were tested with the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) to assess verbal declarative memory. PTSD symptoms were assessed with the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and depression with the Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Several indices of the CVLT pointed to an impairment in declarative memory performance in PTSD, but not in traumatized persons without PTSD or HC. No group differences were observed if recall of memory after a time delay was set in relation to initial learning performance. In the PTSD group verbal memory performance correlated significantly with hyperarousal symptoms, after concentration difficulties were accounted for. The present study confirmed previous reports of declarative verbal memory deficits in PTSD. Extending previous results, we propose that learning rather than memory consolidation is impaired in PTSD patients. Furthermore, arousal symptoms may interfere with successful memory formation in PTSD.

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Error Analysis in Neuropsychological Assessment of Verbal Memory and Learning

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759.11.1.21 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 21-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Dietmar Heubrock

Keyword(s):

Error Analysis ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Verbal Learning ◽

Learning Disorders ◽

Memory And Learning ◽

Auditory Verbal Learning Test ◽

Additional Information ◽

Auditory Verbal Learning ◽

Accurate Picture ◽

Learning Test

Performance on a German version of the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) was investigated for 64 juvenile patients who were subdivided in 6 clinical groups. In addition to standard evaluation of AVLT protocols which is usually confined to items recalled correctly, an error analysis was performed. Differentiating between total errors (TE), repetition errors (RE), and misnamings (ME), substantial differences between clinical groups could be demonstrated. It is argued that error analysis of verbal memory and learning enriches the understanding of neuropsychological syndromes, and provides additional information for diagnostic and clinical use. Thus, it is possible to gain a more accurate picture so that patients can be appropriately retrained, and research into the functional causes of memory and learning disorders can be intensified.

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