Cited by 123Memory and Neural MechanismsMemory Processes and InfluencesCognitive Abilities and Testing

Working Memory and the Organization of Brain Systems

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Shrager, Yael, Levy, Daniel A., Hopkins, Ramona O., Squire, Larry R.·2008·The Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

Working memory has historically been viewed as an active maintenance process that is independent of long-term memory and independent of the medial temporal lobe. However, impaired performance across brief time intervals has sometimes been described in amnesic patients with medial temporal lobe damage. These findings raise a fundamental question about how to know when performance depends on working memory and when the capacity for working memory has been exceeded and performance depends on long-term memory. We describe a method for identifying working memory independently of patient performance. We compared patients with medial temporal lobe damage to controls who were given either distraction or no distraction between study and test. In four experiments, we found concordance between the performance of patients and the effect of distraction on controls. The patients were impaired on tasks in which distraction had minimal effect on control performance, and the patients were intact on tasks in which distraction disrupted control performance. We suggest that the patients were impaired when the task minimally depended on working memory (and instead depended substantially on long-term memory), and they performed well when the task depended substantially on working memory. These findings support the conclusion that working memory (active maintenance) is intact after medial temporal lobe damage.

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Crossref · 10.1523/jneurosci.0710-08.2008

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Authors
Shrager, Y., Levy, D. A., Hopkins, R. O., & Squire, L. R.
Affiliations
  • University of California San Diego (US)
  • Weizmann Institute of Science (IL)
  • Brigham Young University (US)
  • VA San Diego Healthcare System (US)
Corresponding author
Squire, Larry R.
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Published
2008-04-30
Volume
28
Issue
18
Pages
4818-4822
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
OpenAlex
W2093870847
Cited by
123
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 11
FWCI
6.72
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R37MH024600, R01MH024600, MH24600)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
Keywords
working memory, amnesia, long-term memory, distraction, memory maintenance
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Brain Injuries, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Memory, Short-Term, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Photic Stimulation, Temporal Lobe, Case-Control Studies, Recognition, Psychology

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