Research article summary (published 29 Sep 2000):

Behavioral markers for self- and other-attribution of memory: a study in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and healthy volunteers.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The correlation between clinical measures of memory and subjectively reported memory is often poor. Regarding this we investigated in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) whether there is evidence that persons mistake other cognitive performances for memory due to subjective memory theories. METHODS: a neuropsychological test battery comprising measures of attention, verbal/figural memory and other visual or language related functions was applied in patients with left (L-TLE, n=24) or right temporal lobe epilepsy (R-TLE, n=21) and healthy volunteers (n=20). In addition, subjective self- and other-reported memories were assessed by the subjective memory questionnaire (SMQ). RESULTS: subjective measures as well as objective measures indicate significant cognitive impairment in TLE and in L-TLE in particular. Self-reports and other-reports are interrelated but only self-reported memory correlates significantly with objective memory performance. Regression analysis indicates that self-reported memory is best predicted by word fluency followed by verbal memory and vocabulary, and other-reported memory is best predicted by word fluency, vocabulary, confrontation naming, and verbal recognition memory. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that attribution of memory refers to a subjective view of memory which is wider than its neuropsychological definition. It furthermore differs dependent on the observer's point of view. Memory is preferentially concluded from verbal behaviors. These reflect language skills and access to vocabulary rather than declarative memory. Consideration of subjective memory theories and associated attribution processes can significantly contribute to our understanding of the often-poor relationship between objective test results and subjective impairment in TLE.

Author information

Author/s: Helmstaedter, C (C); Elger, C E (CE);

Affiliation: University Clinic of Epileptology/Bonn Sigmund Freud Street 25, 53105, Bonn, Germany. c.helmstaedter(-atsign-)uni-bonn.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Journal Article

Journal: Epilepsy research (Epilepsy Res), published in NETHERLANDS. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2000-Oct; vol 41 (issue 3) : pp 235-43

Dates: Created 2000/10/11; Completed 2000/10/11; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 10962214, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 2/18/2009)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MeSH Headings (categories) shown below.

Adolescent Behavior - physiology Child Cognition - physiology Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe - psychology Female Humans Language

Language Male Memory - physiology Neuropsychological Tests Psychometrics Psychomotor Performance - physiology Questionnaires Verbal Behavior

Note: Bold headings indicate primary MeSH headings or qualifiers.

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