Are visual working memory and episodic memory distinct processes? Insight from stroke patients by lesion-symptom mapping

• DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02281-0
• Publication Date: 2021-04-29T05:16:03Z
• Authors: Selma Lugtmeijer; Linda Geerligs; Frank Erik de Leeuw; Edward H. F. de Haan; Roy P. C. Kessels; ; Anouk R. Smits; Ben A. Schmand; Edward H. F. de Haan; Frank Erik de Leeuw; Gert jan Luijckx; H. Steven Scholte; Joke M. Spikman; L. Jaap Kappelle; Linda Geerligs; Martine J. E. van...; Matthan W. A. Caan; Matthijs A. H. L....; Mathias Prokop; Nick F. Ramsey; Nikki A. Lammers; Nils S. van den Berg; Noor Seijdel; Paul J. Nederkoorn; Rients B. Huitema; Bob Kentridge; Roy P. C. Kessels; Selma Lugtmeijer; Yair Pinto
• Keywords: Brain Mapping; Neuro- en revalidatiepsychologie; Episodic memory; Memory, Episodic; Neuropsychology and rehabilitation psychology; Working memory; Neurology - Radboud University Medical Center; Radboudumc 3: Disorders of movement DCMN: Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience; Cognitive artificial intelligence; Neuropsychological Tests; Lesion-symptom mapping; Activated long-term memory; Brain Ischemia; Stroke; 03 medical and health sciences; Medical Psychology - Radboud University Medical Center; Memory, Short-Term; 0302 clinical medicine; Radboudumc 1: Alzheimer`s disease DCMN: Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience; Multicomponent model; Humans; Original Article

AbstractWorking memory and episodic memory are two different processes, although the nature of their interrelationship is debated. As these processes are predominantly studied in isolation, it is unclear whether they crucially rely on different neural substrates. To obtain more insight in this, 81 adults with sub-acute ischemic stroke and 29 elderly controls were assessed on a visual working memory task, followed by a surprise subsequent memory test for the same stimuli. Multivariate, atlas- and track-based lesion-symptom mapping (LSM) analyses were performed to identify anatomical correlates of visual memory. Behavioral results gave moderate evidence for independence between discriminability in working memory and subsequent memory, and strong evidence for a correlation in response bias on the two tasks in stroke patients. LSM analyses suggested there might be independent regions associated with working memory and episodic memory. Lesions in the right arcuate fasciculus were more strongly associated with discriminability in working memory than in subsequent memory, while lesions in the frontal operculum in the right hemisphere were more strongly associated with criterion setting in subsequent memory. These findings support the view that some processes involved in working memory and episodic memory rely on separate mechanisms, while acknowledging that there might also be shared processes.